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The 

Hills ville Tragedy 

Story of the Allen Clan 


ctu \ of Detectives Payne and Lucas searching Bald Rock Knob, in search cf th* fugitives. 

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The Hillsville Tragedy 

Story of the Allen Clan 


By Edwin Chancellor Payne 


Baldwin-Felts Detective and Captor of three 
of the Allen Clan 


Edited by E. B. Jacobs 


Chicago 

M. A. DONOHUE & COMPANY 






4-E 

ArOO 


Copyright 1913 by 
Virginia Audit Company, Inc. 

Roanoke, Vat . 

• - S 


©CI.A332961 


Preface 

From the day the news was flashed over the wires that 
the Carroll county court officers and members of a jury had 
been fired upon and several killed by the Allen clan while 
court was in session, the Hillsville tragedy has been a 
subject of intense and commanding interest. The un¬ 
usual gravity of the crime, and the thrilling incidents con¬ 
nected with it, have attracted the attention of the public, 
and centered interest upon every phase of the long chapter 
of events bearing upon the causes for the trial at which 
the shooting occurred, the long search through the moun¬ 
tains for the Allens, and their subsequent capture and 
conviction. 

In this narrative, circumstances and events are de¬ 
scribed which had an influence in bringing about conditions 
surrounding the Hillsville tragedy, and it has been the aim 
of the writer to present these facts in a clear, impartial 
and accurate manner, and from data believed to be in all 
respects reliable and trustworthy. 

In fact, the description of the incidents that transpired 
during the long search for the fugitives, covering a period 
of eight months, has been for the most part taken from 
daily memoranda kept by the author and a courier, both 
of whom were members of the Baldwin-Felts detective 
posse engaged in searching the mountains of Carroll 
county for the Allen clan. 

For a period of six weeks, the author, in conjunction 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


with W. W. Phaup, had charge of two posses of Baldwin- 
Felts detectives, and took part personally in the many 
raids and midnight journeys in the search throughout one 
of the wildest and most dangerous sections of southwest 
Virginia. His posse traveled 1700 miles, over mountain 
roads and trails, searching rocky fastnesses, riding through 
rain and snow, and searching houses from which a volley 
of shots was expected at any moment. 

The author participated in the capture of two of the 
fugitives, and the incidents connected therewith are nar¬ 
rated from personal experience. 

He was also present at the arraignment of the prisoners, 
was present at all except two of the subsequent trials and 
was appointed guard over Sidna Allen and Wesley Ed¬ 
wards after their capture in Des Moines and incarceration 
in the jail at Roanoke pending trial. He was with these 
men from that time until their conviction and transfer 
to the state penitentiary at Richmond, December 14th, 
1912. 

The testimony given by some of the witnesses at the 
trials is embraced in the text of the narrative, and an 
endeavor has been made to present all salient points in 
connection therewith. 

These facts were taken from court records and from 
newspaper accounts published while the trials were in 
progress. 

A few anecdotes are interspersed, as they are of a nature 
which serve to depict some of the characteristics of the 
mountain-folk living in the Fancy Gap district, and in 
some instances are closely related to the history of the 
Allens. 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


There is also an account of the early settlement of the 
Fancy Gap section and a description of the country, 
which is in some parts yet a wilderness. 

Furthermore, the life, habits, environment, and fatal¬ 
istic beliefs of the mountaineer are described, as well as 
his general attitude towards those whom he regards as 
intruders or hostile to his idea of what constitutes his 
rights. 

It has been endeavored throughout this work to present 
a correct and truthful statement of events, and to give 
such information as will, it is hoped, prove of interest to 
the reading public. 

The work has been carefully revised and edited, and 
contains a great deal of data pertaining to the Hillsville 
tragedy not hitherto published. 

This is not a work of fiction, with its characters the 
creation of the mind, and with stage setting adapted to 
fit dramatic and thrilling climaxes. 

It does not depict the emotions or actions of imaginary 
characters, or the peculiar characteristics which they 
might have possessed. It deals with actual happenings, 
and with people whose habits, mode of life and line of 
reasoning are little known to the outside world, and with 
the chain of events that culminated in the tragedy of 
March 14th, 1912. 


Roanoke, Va., January 25, 1913. 





x-y.-- 






mt 






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Court House at Hillsville 















The author, Edwin Chancellor Payne 











Judge Thorton L. Massie 








Dexter Goad, Clerk of Carroll County Court 











Floyd Allen 





















Sidna Allen Wesley Edwards 







From Mt to right, top row, Victor Allen, Byrd Marion and 
SidnaEdwards; below, Claude Allen and Friel Allen. 
Taken after day of capture 





Floyd Allen’s Home 



Sidna Allen’s Home 





























Victor Allen’s Home 





























Jasper (“Jack”) Allen, father of Friel Allen 










Miss Maude Iroller 







Deputies sworn in by Judge Staples on day after Hillsville tragedy 














Popse preparing to leave Hillsville on a raid in search of the Allens 












house during search for the Allens 












%% § % \ 

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’ BP '***' 1 


Guards removing Floyd Allen from Hillsville Jail for conveyance to Roanoke 











Gorge leading to the Devil’s Den 




Entrance to the Devil’s Den. Left to right, Detectives Payne and Lucas searching for the Allens 








Picture oj Detectives Payne and Lucas searching Bald Rock Knob, in search of the fugitives. 








Virginia State Bloodhounds and Mr. Lane, the handler 






Typical mountain home searched during hunt for the Allens 












Sign on path leading to Floyd Allen’s Moonshine Still 









Moonshine Stills and Liquor captured by Detective E. C. Payne in raid on homes of 

Floyd Allen and Alberta Edwards 















Buzzard’s Roost,” one of the hiding places of the Allens 











Posse of Detectives on North Carolina state line, during search for the Allens 






The HillsviJle Tragedy 


7 


CONTENTS 
Chapter I 

First news of the tragedy. Attorney General Williams 
and Judge Waller R. Staples, and Captain Davant, of the 
Virginia State Militia, sent to Hillsville by Governor Mann. 
Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency placed in charge of case. 
Deputies sworn in. Description of Hillsville and sur¬ 
rounding country. Type of people inhabiting the moun¬ 
tain section of Carroll County. Their habits, environ¬ 
ments, mode of life and fatalistic beliefs. 


Chapter II 

Early history of Fancy Gap section where Allens lived. 
Settlement after Cornwallis’ surrender at Yorktown. 
Old Fancy Gap Hotel and murders committed near by. 
History of Jerry Allen, father of Floyd and Sidna Allen. 
Account of Confederate soldiers sent to disperse bush¬ 
whackers. Ghost of murdered soldier still haunts 
“Yankee Branch.” Early furnace and stills built near 
“Torytown.” Floyd Allen shoots Noah Combes and is 
found guilty of “assault,” and walks from court room, 
refusing to serve one hour in jail. Sidna Allen arrested 
for counterfeiting and tried in Federal Court at Greens¬ 
boro. Floyd Allen kills negro for hunting on farm. 
Sidna and Wesley Edwards create disturbance at school 



8 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


house during religious services and escape to North Caro¬ 
lina. Their arrest and release from custody of officer by 
Floyd Allen and Sidna Allen, which led up to Hillsville 
Tragedy. Floyd, Sidna, Victor, Jr., Claud, and Friel 
Allen and Wesley and Sidna Edwards indicted or appear 
as witnesses at March, 1912, term of Court in Hillsville. 
Positions taken by them in the Court Room during trial 
of Floyd Allen. 


Foreword of Chapter Number Three 

Location of Hillsville. Distance from Washington, 
Richmond, Roanoke, and other points. Remote situation 
of Fancy Gap district in the Blue Ridge Range. Meager 
educational advantages. Environments and associations 
of mountain people. Monotonous life of mountaineer. 
His youthful training, habits and view-point of what con¬ 
stitutes wrong or right. His proverbial hospitality and 
his attitude toward officers of the law. His belief in his 
right to distil “ moonshine ” whiskey. His feuds and 
clan allegiance. 


Chapter III 

Description of Hillsville Court House and Court Room. 
Court convened on morning of the Hillsville Tragedy, 
March 14th, 1912. Allens in attendance at court. Posi¬ 
tion taken by members of the Allen Clan in the court 
room. Jury returns verdict, finding Floyd Allen guilty. 
Allen Clan fire on Court officers and the jury, killing 




The Hillsville Tragedy 


9 


Judge Massie and others. Court officers return fire and 
wound Floyd Allen and Sidna Allen. Duel between 
Dexter Goad and Sidna Allen on Court House Green. 
Allen Clan escape from Hillsville leaving Floyd Allen, 
whom they believe to be dead. Floyd Allen taken to 
Thornton House. Excitement at Hillsville after Tragedy 
occurred. Baldwin-Felts Detectives arrive and Judge 
Staples swears in Deputies. T. L. Felts arrests Floyd 
Allen, who attempts suicide on way to Hillsville jail. 
The hunt for the Allen Clan begins. 


Chapter IV 

Beginning of search for the Allen Clan in the mountains. 
Detective E. C. Payne's story of the six weeks' hunt over 
mountain trails. First word sent him by T. L. Felts, 
asking him to come to Hillsville. Arrival there and first 
raid undertaken. Sidna Allen’s house visited. Raid 
over the Fancy Gap road to home of Alberta Edwards and 
search made there. Moonshine Stills discovered. Buz¬ 
zard's Roost where Allens were secreted at time of this 
raid. Floyd Allen's home visited. Moonshine Still and 
whisky found there. Raid near “Billy” Hawks' place. 
Signal fires lighted by mountaineers to warn Allens. 
Ambush feared during midnight ride. Shots fired in the 
darkness. Raid in the Flower Gap district. Capture of 
Sidna Edwards. Raid on Solomon Ayers' place. Ter¬ 
rific gale encountered. Narrowly miss capturing Sidna 
Allen and Wesley Edwards, who are concealed in cave. 
Bald Rock Knob searched. Easter's place raided. Cap- 



10 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


ture of Claud Allen. Claud Allen taken to Hillsville jail. 
Home of Friel Allen visited and capture of Friel Allen. 
Easter home again visited. Hiding place where Easter 
had secreted Sidna Allen and Wesley Edwards, but fugi¬ 
tives had been warned and had escaped. Pass within 
fifteen feet of Sidna Allen in mountains at night. Fugi¬ 
tives fired on at night by farmer. Blood hounds track 
fugitives near Willis Gap. Sidna Allen and Wesley Ed¬ 
wards see men and dogs on their trail. Fisher’s Peak 
ascended and searched. Anecdote told by Jerry Allen’s 
widow about attempt to murder her husband made by 
two of his sons. Chase abandoned as Sidna Allen and 
Wesley Edwards are believed to have escaped from the 
mountains. First trial of Floyd Allen, Friel Allen and 
Claud Allen who are arraigned at Hillsville Court House. 
Trouble with gang of Allen sympathizers at j ail. Prisoners 
taken to Roanoke. Description of the “Devil’s Den” 
and its history. Guarding Sidna Allen and Wesley Ed¬ 
wards in Roanoke jail. Their characteristics and be¬ 
havior. Their trial and conviction and transportation 
to the Penitentiary in Richmond. 


Chapter V 

Work of the Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency in effect¬ 
ing capture of Allen Clan. Descriptions of difficulties 
encountered in raids through dangerous country. Number 
of clues followed in all parts of the United States. Wesley 
Edwards returns to Virginia and visits his home. Maud 
Iroller shadowed by detectives. Her visit to Des Moines 



The Hillsville Tragedy 


11 


to meet Wesley Edwards. Capture of Sidna Allen and 
Wesley Edwards in Des Moines and their incarceration 
in Roanoke jail. Their trial and conviction. Testimony 
given by Judge Bolen at the several trials. Testimony 
given by Dexter Goad. Testimony given by Floyd Allen, 
Claud Allen and Sidna Allen. Trial and conviction of 
Friel Allen and Sidna Edwards. Trial and acquittal of 
Victor Allen. Charge of Judge Staples to jury May 17th. 
Sentence passed on Floyd Allen and Claud Allen to die in 
the electric chair on November 22d. Judge Staples’ 
remarks in pronouncing sentence. 


Resume of incidents connected with the Hillsville 
Tragedy. 




# 


The Hillsville Tragedy 

Chapter I 

On Thursday, March 14th, 1912, the startling news was 
sent over the wires that Judge Thornton L. Massie had 
been assassinated while presiding over the Carroll county 
court, then in session at Hillsville, Virginia. Also, that 
the sheriff of the county, the commonwealth attorney, 
the clerk of the court, and several members of the jury, 
had been either killed or wounded at the same time. 

The report stated that the deed had been committed 
by members of “ The Allen Clan, ” when the jury had found 
Floyd Allen guilty of a charge on which he had been tried, 
and that the Allens opened fire on the court officers and 
jury immediately after Judge Massie had passed sentence 
upon him and directed the sheriff to take charge of the 
prisoner. 

As Hillsville is situated in a remote and mountainous 
section of southwest Virginia, about fifteen miles distant 
from a line of railroad, with county roads at that season 
of the year in an almost impassable condition, it was 
extremely difficult to secure any information except that 
communicated by telephone. It soon developed, how¬ 
ever, that the report was correct, and that the citizens of 
Hillsville were in a demoralized and terror-stricken state, 
as all court officers empowered to swear in deputies had 
been killed. Also, that further trouble was expected 
from the Allens, who had fled after perpetrating the crime; 
for it was believed they would return for the purpose of 
rescuing Floyd Allen, who was unable to accompany them 


14 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


in their flight, on account of a pistol wound received during 
the fight in the court house. 

Governor William Hodges Mann, was communicated 
with at Richmond, and the Baldwin-Felts Detective 
Agency was asked to send a posse to Hillsville at the earliest 
possible moment. Judge Waller R. Staples, of Roanoke, 
was delegated by the governor to proceed to Hillsville to 
convene the court and swear in deputies necessary for the 
protection of the citizens and the preservation of law and 
order. 

Attorney General Samuel W. Williams was also directed 
to proceed to Hillsville, and Capt. H. W. Davant, of 
Roanoke, commanding Company F, Second Virginia State 
Militia, was ordered to Hillsville pending the arrival of his 
company, should it be found necessary or advisable to 
send troops to Carroll county. 

Attorney General Williams, Judge Staples, and Captain 
Davant arrived in Hillsville on the morning of the fifteenth 
of March, the day succeeding the tragedy, as also did 
several members of the Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency, 
who had been summoned from various points, some of 
which were quite a distance from Hillsville. It required 
strenuous effort and hard travel, on the part of the Bald¬ 
win-Felts detectives, to reach the scene of the tragedy 
by the time mentioned. Captain Davant took with him 
two men from Roanoke, and twenty army rifles, with a 
supply of ammunition: the arms and ammunition being 
distributed to the deputies who were sworn in by Judge 
Staples after convening court. 

Floyd Landreth, at present Prosecuting Attorney, sue- 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


15 


ceeding W. M. Foster, had been directed to take temporary 
charge of affairs pending the arrival of Judge Staples. 

Before describing in detail the Hillsville tragedy, the 
subsequent hunt for the perpetrators of the crime, embrac¬ 
ing a period of over six weeks, through the wildest and 
most dangerous section of Carroll county; the capture 
of several of the Allen clan in the mountains, and the 
arrest later of the remaining two in Des Moines, Iowa, and 
their trial and conviction: it will doubtless prove interest¬ 
ing to the reader to learn something regarding the vicinity 
in which this tragedy occurred, the type of people inhab¬ 
iting the country, and the chain of events which led up to 
the trial of Floyd Allen, when the shooting occurred. 

These matters have direct bearing upon, and are more or 
less intimately connected and associated with, the particular 
events that culminated in the assassination of Judge Massie 
and other court officers, and members of the jury by the 
Allens and their adherents. 

The crime committed was one of such unusual and 
peculiar atrocity, that it excited world-wide interest and 
comment: as it was regarded almost incredible for such an 
act to be perpetrated in a court of justice, with its victims 
the officers of the court engaged in the discharge of their 
sworn duty. 

Carroll county is one of the counties comprising what is 
known as Southwest Virginia, and borders on the North 
Carolina line. While some sections of Carroll county are 
in a high state of cultivation, that portion of the county 
embracing and adjacent to the Fancy Gap District is 
mountainous and poorly adapted to agricultural pursuits. 

Hillsville, which is the county seat, is a town of about 


16 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


five hundred inhabitants, and is located in the southeast¬ 
ern part of the county, about thirteen miles south of 
Betty Baker, the nearest railroad station to the town. 
Betty Baker is a station on the North Carolina Division 
of the Norfolk & Western Railway, running from Pulaski 
to Galax, and is on a branch of the Galax line which runs 
from Reed Junction to Betty Baker, a distance of a few 
miles. Other railroad stations accessible by country roads 
from Hillsville, are Jackson’s Ferry, fifteen miles distant, 
on the Galax branch; Blair, about thirteen miles away, 
situated on the same branch, and Galax which is about 
the same distance from Hillsville as Betty Baker, viz., 
fourteen or fifteen miles. The nearest railroad station 
to the south is Mount Airy, North Carolina, which can 
only be reached by a trip of twenty-four miles, in the 
course of which the Blue Ridge mountains must be crossed. 

The country surrounding Hillsville is threaded with 
numerous creeks, some of which are of considerable size, 
and it frequently occurs that during the spring thaws, 
or after protracted rains, these creeks are swollen to the 
size of rivers, and every gully becomes a small torrent, 
making travel extremely difficult and in places dangerous. 

The Blue Ridge range of mountains extends through 
the county, running in a southwesterly direction into North 
Carolina, and some of the peaks rise to a height of 4000 
feet above sea level. 

The general topography of the country is rough and 
mountainous in the vicinity of Fancy Gap, and some parts 
of it are a veritable wilderness: well adapted for the 
occupation of making “moonshine” whiskey, which is 


The HillsvilJe Tragedy 17 

alleged to be one of the chief pursuits of some of the in¬ 
habitants. 

None of the roads in this part of Carroll county are 
macadamized, and in bad weather they are frequently 
in an almost impassable condition. 

The road from Galax to Hillsville, through Piper's Gap, 
traverses an unusually rough section of country: perhaps 
the wildest in that part of the Blue Ridge range. At one 
point on the road, the hill is so steep that a teamster 
descending it is obliged to fell a tree which is then tied by 
the butt end to the rear axle, in order to “snub” the wagon 
to the foot of the mountain. The tree is then detached 
and dragged to the side of the road, in order not to obstruct 
other teams. On this road near the point described, is 
the famous “Jumping-off Place." About six feet from 
the edge of the road, a shelf of rock projects, and from this 
rock is a sheer, perpendicular drop of several hundred 
feet to the bed of a creek below. 

The country hereabouts is sparsely settled and there 
is but little communication with the outside world. There 
are few horses, or mules, in use, most of the traveling and 
hauling being done with oxen. 

Amid such surroundings stands the little town of Hills¬ 
ville, the scene of the tragedy of March 14th, 1912. The 
place is a straggling village, the houses being built along 
the sides of the country road for a distance of about a mile. 
Some of the buildings are substantial, while others are 
mere “shacks." 

The court house and the Texas Hotel, better known as 
the “Thornton House," are near the center of the town, 
which contains five or six stores dealing in general mer- 


J8 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


chandise, one drug store, one bank, a post office, and two 
hotels, the Texas Hotel, and the Elliott House. 

The principal cereals raised in this vicinity are com, 
buckwheat and rye: and large quantities of excellent fruit 
are grown. Corn meal and rye flour are staples in the 
” mountain section of Carroll county, wheat bread being 
rarely used by the mountain people. 

The inhabitants of the mountain section of Carroll 
county are, in many respects, as primitive in their mode 
of living as were their ancestors who settled in that out- 
of-the-way spot more than one hundred years ago. 

The old-fashioned cider press, the loom, and the hominy 
mortar and pestle are still in evidence: and much of the 
clothing worn is homespun. 

The “yarb” (herb) doctor and the “ granny ” (mid¬ 
wife) still practice their respective avocations, and the 
“ circuit-rider ” is their preacher, and the only one the 
mountaineers know. There are a few rude church build¬ 
ings and some school houses, poorly equipped. In these 
the people sometimes gather, but more often their “ meet¬ 
ings ” are held in the open air. 

Nearly all the inhabitants of this part of the county 
are “Primitive Baptists” of the most pronounced type. 
Many of them are fatalistic in their beliefs, and unload 
all trouble and sum up existence in the proverb: “What 
is to be, will be. ” Some of these people are fine types 
of the Virginia mountaineer, of erect carriage, athletic, 
sinewy, keen-eyed and clear-complexioned, giving evi¬ 
dence of health and vigor due to a life spent for the most 
part in the open air. 

Others show certain marks of degeneracy, probably 


The HillsviJJe Tragedy 


19 


the result of inter-marriage, or other causes. Some of 
the women possess beauty of a high order, with the bright 
eyes, attractive features, and faultless complexion, so 
frequently met with among the people living in the moun¬ 
tains of Virginia. Others have the dull and vacant ex¬ 
pression, and the look of utter resignation, acquired 
through an existence which has been ever changeless and 
uneventful: a life of constant toil, with little or no oppor¬ 
tunity for recreation, and seemingly with no ambition to 
better their condition in life. 

These people, however, are generous and hospitable to a 
fault, these traits being found even among the poorest 
and most illiterate portion of the population: and it is 
practically impossible to prevail upon them to accept 
payment for the entertainment of man or beast. 

In their business dealings, they display honesty rather 
above the average in the payment of debts, or the keep¬ 
ing of promises. But among many the belief is common 
that it is no sin to tell a lie to aid what is considered a 
worthy cause or to thwart what is held to be a wicked or 
unworthy one. 

They believe as firmly in their right to distil illicit, or 
“ moonshine ” whiskey, as they do in their Primitive 
Baptist creed. Hatred of all revenue officers is inborn, 
and every stranger is regarded with suspicion until satis¬ 
factory proof is forthcoming that he is in no wise connected 
with “The Revenues, ” as the officers are termed. 

The men and women are alike hard-working and indus¬ 
trious, but business matters are rarely discussed with the 
women. 

In the event of a stranger passing, however, the women 


20 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


do most of the signalling from house to house, if there is 
any suspicion that the visitor is connected with the revenue 
service. This signalling usually consits of a shrill halloo 
to the children, or a call to the cow, and is taken up from 
house to house, as the stranger comes in view. 

The atmosphere is clear at this altitude, and as there 
are no noises caused by manufacture or transportation, 
any sound can be easily located, and a call or cry can be 
heard for a long distance. 

The houses of the mountaineers are mostly cabins, one 
story in height, built of logs or rough lumber, with rough 
puncheon floors and ceilings. Most of the floors are rarely 
scoured or swept, but are kept covered with a beautiful 
white sand, which gives an appearance of extreme cleanli¬ 
ness. After this sand has been used for a covering, and has 
been trod upon day after day by the mountaineers in their 
rough shoes, the surface of the floor becomes worn until it 
is as smooth as glass. 

The furniture in these mountain homes is of the most 
primitive kind, and is almost invariably homemade. 
White oak split bottom chairs are mainly used, and the 
old-fashioned corded bed, rag carpets or rugs, homemade 
patch-work quilts, and homespun blankets, are usually 
in evidence. 

In many cases the bride’s wealth is reckoned by her 
“man,” (as the husband is termed), according to the 
number of quilts she possesses. 

Stoves are rarely seen, and one end of the cabin is always 
occupied by a large fire place, with the old-fashioned crane 
and pot. A baking skillet large enough to contain from 
two to five gallons, is the main cooking utensil. This 


The HiJlsville Tragedy 


21 


skillet is on legs, and has a lid with a long handle attached. 
It does duty as a frying pan, and is invariably used in 
baking corn pone, which is the staple bread, along with 
rye “shortened bread, ” made with milk and other in¬ 
gredients. This latter mentioned class of bread is always 
served to “company, ” and is a very palatable dish. 

A delicious cider is made in these cabins during the 
winter and spring months, from the dried parings of 
apples. These parings are dried during the summer and 
autumn, when the apples are pared, and when winter 
comes a large jar is filled with them, to which is added 
enough water to cover the contents. A clean, white 
flint rock is then placed inside of the jar, in order to hold 
down the parings, which are allowed to steep for a certain 
time, when a clear, delicious, amber colored cider is drained 
off. It does not ferment and is but slightly intoxicating, 
or exhilarating in its effect. It is very palatable and is 
a sovereign remedy for nausea. 

Few cattle are raised in this part of Carroll county, as 
the land is not well adapted to grazing, but a great many 
hogs are raised, and the hams, cured by first “ coming ” 
the meat and then smoking it with hickory wood, are noted 
for their excellent flavor. 

Coon and “’Possum” dogs are considered valuable 
assets. 

Very little large game abounds, there being no deer, 
and only an occasional bear is seen. There are many 
foxes and a few wildcats, but plenty of rabbits, squirrels, 
’possums, raccoons and ground hogs, a few turkeys, but 
many quail and pheasants. 

There is very little pistol “toting,” as but few of the 


22 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


mountaineers are able to buy revolvers, and the guns they 
own are generally single-barreled, breech-loading shot 
guns, but many old-fashioned squirrel rifles are to be seen. 
The favorite weapon among the young men is a pair of 
brass “knucks”. 

While the possession of a revolver is rare among the 
mountaineers generally, the members of the Allen Clan 
owned modem Colts 38-caliber revolvers and Colts 32- 
caliber automatic pistols, which were brought into play 
on the fateful fourteenth of March, when the Hillsville 
tragedy occurred. 

These mountain people have but few diversions and 
little chance for recreation of any sort. But the old- 
fashioned fiddler still plays at the country square-dance, 
and the quilting-bee and corn-shucking yet furnish enter¬ 
tainment, followed by a supper and a merry dance. 

Basket making is quite an industry, white oak splits 
being used in their construction. During the winter 
months women and children “string’’ tobacco bags, for 
which they receive an average of seventeen cents per 
hundred. The bags and strings are sent from Winston- 
Salem and Durham by the tobacco manufacturers and 
the bags are then “strung” and returned. 

A considerable quantity of tobacco is raised in Carroll 
county and taken to Mount Airy, North Carolina, that 
place being twenty-four miles distant from Hillsville, and 
is the principal trading point for the Fancy Gap District. 

Snuff is used among the mountaineers to an almost 
amazing extent. It is “dipped” with a stick, and its use 
is so common that it is practically recognized as a medium 
of exchange, taking the place of money in many instances, 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


23 


as a legal tender, for sale or purchase of goods. In many 
cabins a case of snuff will be found, while furniture and 
general appearance indicate that the occupants are forced 
to constant toil and economy in order to secure the bare 
necessities of life. 

There are many small grist mills in this part of Carroll 
county, using the old style mill stone, or buhr, and here 
flour is is still “ bolted ” in its manufacture. There is no 
roller-mill in this vicinity. The number of grist mills 
doing business is occasioned by the demand for com meal, 
a large portion of which is alleged to be promptly con¬ 
verted into “moonshine ” whiskey. 

The following incident, related by detective E. C. Payne, 
of the Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency, will serve to 
illustrate the uneventful and monotonous conditions 
under which some of the women live in this remote moun¬ 
tain section. 

On April 9th, 1912, detective Payne visited the home 
of Ed. King, where old Mrs. Edwards, known as “Mother 
Edwards, ” resided. The old woman had told Mr. Payne, 
on a previous occasion, that she would be ninety-two years 
of age on the tenth of April, and was alone at the time of his 
arrival at the house. Mr. Payne brought her a birthday 
present in the shape of some “ store ” tobacco and some 
candy, which she was delighted to receive. 

Shortly before this date, T. L. Felts, of the Baldwin- 
Felts Detective Agency, had headed a posse composed 
of detectives Brim, Kefauver, Mosby and Payne, in an 
all-day ride over Carroll county in search of members of the 
Allen Clan. They had ridden horse-back over a distance 
of eighty-two miles, part of which was covered after dark, 


24 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


and had made their appearance at so many different 
points during the same day that the natives came to 
the conclusion that they must have with them an aero¬ 
plane or “flying machine.” Mrs. Edwards remarked: 
“Mr. Payne, I’ll be ninety-two years old tomorrow. I 
hain’t never bin but six miles from this place in my life, 
and hain’t never seen a train, or no machinery of no kind, 
except a saw-mill at a distance one time. I hain’t goin' 
to live long, I know, an’ I wisht you’d let me see that 
thar flyin’-machine. ” 

Mr. Payne then discovered that a report had been cur¬ 
rent that the detectives had an aeroplane in use, thereby 
explaining to the minds of the mountaineers their fre¬ 
quent appearance at different points on the same day. 


Chapter II 


At a point about nine miles south of Hillsville, there is 
a fork in the road leading in the direction of North Caro¬ 
lina; the southwest branch leading into the Piper’s Gap 
road and from there to points in Carroll and Grayson 
counties, the other branch leading directly south, through 
Fancy Gap, to Mount Airy, North Carolina, and passing 
directly by Floyd Allen’s house. At the fork of this road 
is what is known as “Fancy Gap” and near it stands an 
old building once known as the “Fancy Gap Hotel.” 

This structure was built prior to the Civil War, and was 
used as a hotel and stopping place for travelers prior to 
and during the war, and was at one time quite a resort for 
summer tourists. 

It is a large, rambling building, three stories in height, 
and is still in a fairly good state of preservation. It is 
now occupied by a farmer and is no longer used as a hotel. 

The place fell into disrepute during the Civil War and 
shortly subsequent thereto, on account of several murders 
having been committed on the premises. It has been 
alleged that old Jerry Allen, the father of Floyd and Sidna 
Allen, participated in these murders, the victims being 
soldiers who stopped at the hotel on their way home from 
the war, or after desertion during its progress. Jerry Allen 
was a man of powerful physique, of great prowess with 
his fists or rifle, and possessed an ungovernable temper. 
He was a soldier in the Confederate army, and it is said 


26 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


he endeavored to evade sentry duty and to secure a dis¬ 
charge on the ground of being deaf. It is stated that he 
finally deserted and engaged in “bushwhacking” until 
about the close of the war, when a special detachment of 
Confederate soldiers succeeded in dispersing the band of 
bushwhackers and deserters who had terrorized that sec¬ 
tion of country. A number of the bushwhackers were 
killed in an encounter with the detachment of Confederate 
soldiers sent to disperse or capture them, and several were 
captured and executed. It is said that in these times the 
father of Dexter Goad, (the clerk of Hillsville court, who 
engaged in a pistol duel with the Allens at the time of the 
Hillsville tragedy) incurred the enmity of Jerry Allen, 
as did others who stood for law and order. 

In one of the murders committed near the old Fancy 
Gap Hotel and in which it is alleged that old Jerry Allen 
figured, it is stated that the victim was a Union soldier, 
who was returning home from the war. 

The bushwhackers infesting the Fancy Gap district 
showed no discrimination in their attitude towards those 
whom they elected to kill, and murdered Confederates 
or Federals as suited their purpose, the motive being rob¬ 
bery in most cases. 

This Union soldier was taken from the house to a clump 
of bushes and is alleged to have been shot in cold blood by 
Jerry Allen. The soldier was left for dead, but on regain¬ 
ing consciousness cried out, when the bushwhackers 
returned and shot him again, this time fatally. 

A little stream of water runs by near the spot, and bears 
the name of “Yankee Branch,” on account of the epi¬ 
sode. The murdered soldier’s spirit is still supposed to 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


27 


haunt this spot, which is near the southeast fork of the 
Fancy Gap road, and some people are now living in the 
neighborhood who solemnly declare they have “seen the 
Yankee in uniform ” on more than one occasion. 

The southwest fork of the road is known as the “Moun¬ 
tain Road” and leads into the road to Piper’s Gap, and 
from there to points in Grayson county, Virginia. A ride 
of about thirty minutes brings the traveler to the site of 
“Torytown” and the “Devil’s Den.” It is stated that 
“Torytown” received its name from the fact that after 
Cornwallis’ surrender at Yorktown, a number of royalists, 
or “Tories, ” who were either driven out or left of their 
own volition, proceeded across the country, probably 
following the course of the Dan river, until they reached 
the foot of the Blue Ridge mountains, which they crossed 
near the present town of Mount Airy, and settled at 
“Torytown,” near Fancy Gap. 

There was an abundance of game in this vicinity, with 
fine timber land, excellent water, and numerous hiding 
places in case of danger, chief among which was the noted 
“Devil’s Den.” 

A number of log cabins were erected, and a rude furnace 
was built, the ruins of which may still be seen. 

These settlers also made whiskey and traded with the 
Indians on a considerable scale. 

Indian relics, such as tomahawks, axes, and arrow-heads 
can still be found in considerable numbers over the space 
of several acres, and it is believed that this point was a 
gathering place for indulgence in sports and contests of 
various kinds, including shooting matches, as all of the 
axes and arrow-heads found are broken, the arrows 


28 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


being invariably broken at the point, due no doubt 
to their having been shot into wood, or against some hard 
substance. It is said that Jerry Allen was a descendant 
of these Tories. 

Floyd Allen remarked to the Baldwin-Felts detectives, 
while in jail at Wytheville and prior to the capture of Sidna 
Allen: “Why, if you was after me, I’d dodge and stay 
right in the old fields. Thar’s where my father done his 
hiding, in old fields and around stumps. Sidna knows 
all about it.” 

Throughout his career Jerry Allen’s adage was: “rule 
or ruin, ” and with some of his descendants their attitude 
toward the weak was one of oppression and coercion. 
This assertion is based on the following anecdote told the 
writer by Noah Combes, which will serve to illustrate this 
trait of their character. 

Jasper (Jack) Allen bought a tract of land near the 
“Devil’s Den”, on a creek at the foot of the mountain, 
and built thereon a good brick house, containing about 
eight rooms, and also built nearby the usual out-buildings 
and smoke house seen near a farmer’s home. He also built 
a large still, and piped the water to it openly along the 
road leading from the Fancy Gap road to the house. He 
sold this property to Noah Combes, who was a man of 
gentle disposition, hard-working and industrious. In 
fact, he was considered rather timid, and had labored 
as a common farm hand in order to get a start in life. 

He had gradually prospered until he found himself able 
to purchase this property from “Jack” Allen for the sum 
of $2,600.00 cash. Combes had a wife and several small 
children and was a inoffensive and quiet a person as could 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


29 


be found in that entire neighborhood. He and his family 
were Primitive Baptists, and were respected by all who 
knew them. 

One day Floyd Allen sent word to Combes: “I’ll 
give you $1,500.00 for that thar place, and it ’ll be the best 
thing you ever done if you take it. ” 

Combes realized the dire import of this message and went 
sadly to his pleasant home and told the news to his poor, 
toil-worn wife. They had married late in life, as poverty 
had prevented an earlier union, and it now appeared that 
the fruits of their life’s toil were to be wrested from them. 

They discussed the situation with fear and trembling, 
and at last decided, with that singular fatalism obtain¬ 
ing among the Primitive Baptists, “What is to be will 
be”; and Combes sent Floyd Allen word: “I can’t sell 
at that price, and don’t want to sell at any price. I’d 
just as soon die owning this place. I worked and lived 
like a dog for the best years of my life in order to buy it 
and would as lief die as to live without it. ” 

“All right, ” said Floyd Allen, when he received Combes’ 
reply, “ God blast him. We ’ll see! ” 

Shortly afterward Noah Combes passed by Floyd 
Allen’s home, driving an ox team, on his way to Mount 
Airy by the Fancy Gap road. Floyd Allen spoke to him 
pleasantly as he passed, but on his return Allen called to 
him from his house, which stands about forty feet from 
the road, and when Combes halted his team of oxen Allen 
strode out to the road and struck him over the head with 
a shot gun. The oxen became frightened and started off. 
Allen then shot at Combes, through the body of the 
wagon, as he had fallen prostrate from the blow, and 


30 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


wounded him severely in the hip. On the way Combes 
recovered sufficiently to guide the oxen to some extent 
and succeeded in reaching his home, several miles distant. 

Combes was badly injured, and when court convened 
in Hillsville an indictment was found against Floyd Allen 
for the act committed. He was tried for felony with 
Combes on the stand as a witness, in fear of his life, as 
also were doubtless the judge and jury. 

‘The verdict brought in by the jury was as follows: 
“We, the jury, find Floyd Allen guilty of assault. ” A fine 
of $50.00 and one hour in jail was the penalty imposed. 
Floyd Allen arose from his seat with a laugh and ex¬ 
claimed: “I’ll pay the fine some time. Damn the jail 
sentence. Allens don’t go to jail, ” and walked out of the 
court room. Shortly after this episode, while Noah 
Combes was plowing in a field on his place, he was waited 
upon by several of the Allens, and Floyd Allen said to him: 
“Noah, I want to borry a hundred and fifty-five dollars 
to pay the court costs and fine with, and the best thing 
you ever done will be to let me have it.” 

Combes realized from past experience what might oc¬ 
cur if he refused, and went to his house, accompanied by 
the Allens, and gave Floyd Allen the sum demanded. 

An examination of the court records at Hillsville, made 
during the summer of 1912, failed to show that any settle¬ 
ment of either costs or fine had been made. 

Floyd Allen was still unsatisfied with the punishment he 
had inflicted upon Combes for refusing to sell his property 
at the price offered. He proceeded to purchase worthless 
cliffs and barren land adjacent to Combes’ place, buying 
the land for a mere nominal price, as it was practically 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


31 


worthless for any purpose, and compelled Combes to pay 
him about twelve dollars an acre for the same. 

These incidents transpired several years prior to the 
Hillsville tragedy of March 14th, 1912, and it was not 
until after Floyd Allen had been committed to jail sub¬ 
sequent to the assassination of Judge Massie and others 
that Combes dared to travel the Fancy Gap road leading 
past Floyd Allen’s house, but invariably took another 
route. 

Shortly after the capture of part of the Allen Clan, or 
in the summer of 1912, a justice of the peace in the Hills¬ 
ville District made the following statement to the writer. 
“I’ve been ’squire here for twenty-one years and in all 
that time I’ve never given a decision against an Allen, 
or given any decision without finding out how they wanted 
it to go. Why? Because I was afraid to do so and so were 
the courts. I hope we are Ted’ of them now, but if they 
are not all caught they will make it hard for some of us 
around here yet. ” 

On one occasion a man named Mack Howlett shot one 
of the Allens, over a dispute about a line fence. A cousin 
of the Allens was jailer, and on the first night after How- 
lett’s arrest he was kept in the court house by the sheriff. 
On the next day, Sunday, Howlett was placed in the jail, 
which was not guarded. That night a mob attacked the 
jail but Howlett was a strong man and resisted so fiercely 
that those composing the mob abandoned their plan of 
hanging him and shot him to death. A grand jury was 
in session at the time, but was not charged to make an 
investigation and no indictments were found. The coro- 


32 


The HiJJsville Tragedy 


ner’s jury reported that Howlett met his death at the 
hands of a party, or parties unknown. 

Numerous instances of a nature similar to the foregoing 
could be related, but those described will serve to illus¬ 
trate the high-handed methods used by Floyd Allen in his 
dealings with others, and his general attitude toward law 
and order. His brother, Sidna, was somewhat of a similar 
disposition, but combined with it a faculty of shrewd busi¬ 
ness dealing and accumulated quite an amount of property. 
He was keen, calculating, and had a passion for the accu¬ 
mulation of money. He had a fierce temper, and bore the 
reputation of being treacherous and unscrupulous. He 
owned a store in which he conducted a general merchandis¬ 
ing business, and the home in which he lived would have 
cost perhaps $25,000.00 in a city or town. It probably 
cost him $10,000.00 on his farm, as material and labor are 
cheap in that locality. 

He was suspected of being engaged in counterfeiting 
and a secret-service detective was put on the case. The 
plates and some counterfeit gold and silver coins were 
found in an old mill near “Preacher,” Garland Allen’s 
house. Several parties were placed under arrest, among 
them being Sidna Allen, who was arrested by Deputy 
Marshal Faddis, assisted by ex-deputy Sheriff Brans- 
combe. Sidna Allen had attempted to pass spurious gold 
coins in several places, including Mount Airy. 

The case was called in the federal court in Greensboro, 
North Carolina, in the fall of 1911. Trouble with the 
Allens was expected, and officers heavily armed were sta¬ 
tioned in the court room, with orders to “stop” any man 
who made a hostile demonstration. Members of the Allen 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


33 


Clan attended this trial, and it is stated that each occupied 
a special position from day to day, exactly as they did 
during the later trial at Hillsville when they fired upon 
the officers of the court and the jury. 

During the trial at Greensboro, a son of old Victor Allen 
was asked when he expected his father to return. He 
replied: “If the old man is not a liar, he may never come 
back. ” 

Sidna Allen’s accomplice in the business of making 
counterfeit coins was a man named Dinkens, and was 
sentenced to a term in the penitentiary. 

Sidna Allen was acquitted of the charge of counterfeit¬ 
ing, but was indicted for perjury in this counter¬ 
feiting case, by the United States District Attorney, and 
gave bond for his appearance, in the sum of five thousand 
dollars, with Floyd Allen as security. 

After the Hillsville tragedy had taken place Dinkens 
turned state’s evidence and swore that Sidna Allen had 
threatened to kill him unless he consented to confess that 
he, Dinkens, was solely responsible for the counterfeiting; 
and that he would agree to pay to Dinkens’ family one 
dollar per day during his term of confinement in prison. 
Sidna Allen paid this sum to Dindkens’ family for about 
six months and then discontinued further contributions. 
Dinkens was released after turning state’s evidence and 
left Carroll county. 

In the cases mentioned, as well as others in which the 
Allens were implicated, the local officers had figured more 
or less prominently, and had thereby incurred the ill-will 
of the Allens and their adherents. On one occasion Jack 
and Floyd Allen became involved in a fight and shot one 


34 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


another almost to death, but were not prosecuted. Floyd 
Allen killed a negro for hunting on his farm and 
buried the body. He then went to Hillsville and reported 
that he had “killed a damn nigger and buried him over 
thar, but it was in self defense. ” 

The Allens paid some fines but would not serve time in 
jail. 

The particular infraction of law leading up to the Hills¬ 
ville tragedy, was as follows: 

Sidna and Wesley Edwards, brothers, and nephews of 
Sidna and Floyd Allen, became involved in a difficulty 
during the Autum of 1911, which resulted in their arrest. 
These young men were sons of Alberta Monday, by her 
first husband, John Edwards, and were both of age. It 
is believed they had been in the practice of making “ moon¬ 
shine ” whiskey, as two stills and a barrel of liquor were 
discovered within fifty yards of their home. They had 
been in trouble on several occasions, and during the 
Autumn of 1911 they went to a nearby school house, near 
the Willis Gap road, and created a disturbance, during 
which they made felonious assaults upon several persons. 

They were indicted for this offense, but crossed the 
state line into North Carolina. The Carroll county 
authorities had them arrested and returned to Virginia in 
charge of a deputy sheriff, Thomas Samuels, On his way 
to Hillsville with the prisoners, Samuels passed over the 
Fancy Gap road, and just south of Sidna Allen’s home he 
met Floyd Allen who was traveling south. 

The Edwards brothers asked Floyd Allen to go with 
them to Hillsville and become their bondsman for 
appearance at court, which he agreed to do. On the 


The Hi 11svilie Tragedy 


35 


road to Hillsville the party came to Sidna Allen’s house, 
when Samuels was attacked by Floyd Allen, Sidna Allen 
and Barnett Allen, a son of “Jack” Allen. This trio 
liberated the Edwards brothers, after taking Samuels’ 
pistol from him and beating him in a terrible manner. 
They also shot at the officer who barely escaped with 
his life. 

Samuels’ broken pistol was found on the ground at 
this point on March 16th, during the first raid by the 
Baldwin-Felts detectives, in their search for members of 
the Allen Clan, who were then at large. 

Indictments were brought against Floyd, Sidna and 
Barnett Allen and the case was set for a hearing at the 
September, 1911, term of court. It was continued to 
the December term of that year, and again continued to 
the March, 1912, term; in both instances on account of 
the absence of witnesses. 

During this time it was rumored that Floyd and “Jack” 
Allen had been intimidating witnesses, in the course of 
which “Jack” Allen had been serving processes as “spe¬ 
cial constable, ” some of them having been sworn out by 
Floyd Allen. 

Judge Massie sent for Floyd and “Jack” Allen during 
the December, 1911, term of court and stated to them that 
he had been informed of their actions, which had resulted 
in preventing witnesses from appearing at court, espe¬ 
cially in the case of Samuels, the deputy sheriff. Judge 
Massie informed the Allens that he intended to procure 
these witnesses and try the case: “if he had to call out 
the state troops to do so. ” 

Jasper (Jack) Allen made a very polite apology, in the 


36 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


course of which he said: “I did not know it was wrong, 
and I won’t do it any more. ” 

At the March, 1912, term of court the necessary wit¬ 
nesses being present and the evidence having been taken, 
the case went to the jury on Wednesday, March 13th. 

Floyd, Sidna, Victor, Jr., Claud and Friel Allen, and 
Wesley and Sidna Edwards were in attendance at court, 
all excepting Claud Allen being either under indictment 
bonds to appear, or being present as witnesses. 

On each day during the court’s proceedings they occu¬ 
pied the same positions taken by them in the court room 
on the morning of March 14th, when they fired upon the 
officers of the court and the jury. 

Late in the afternoon of Wednesday, the jury an¬ 
nounced their inability to agree upon a verdict, and court 
was adjourned until the following morning at 8 o’clock. 

Floyd Allen and his brother Sidna left Hillsville for 
their homes, Sidna’s place being about six and one-half 
miles distant, and Floyd’s about thirteen miles, both sit¬ 
uated on the Fancy Gap road. They left together and 
Floyd Allen spent the night at Sidna’s house, talking with 
Sidna and his wife until ten o’clock P. M., when they re¬ 
tired. 

According to the evidence given by these three, and 
sworn to by them in six trials subsequent to the Hillsville 
tragedy, NOT ONE OF THEM MENTIONED THE 
CASE OR DISCUSSED ITS POSSIBLE OUTCOME 
DURING THE TIME SPENT AT SIDNA ALLEN’S 
HOME, OR WHILE FLOYD AND SIDNA ALLEN 
WERE RETURNING TO HILLSVILLE ON THE 
FOLLOWING MORNING. 


Foreword To Chapter 3 


Hillsville, the scene of the tragedy of March 14th, is 
only 322 miles from Washington, 292 miles from Rich¬ 
mond, and 94 miles from Roanoke, and the main line of 
the Norfolk and Western Railway passes through Rad¬ 
ford, just fifty-one miles from Hillsville, while the line to 
Bristol, Tennessee, passes though Pulaski, thirty-six 
miles from the town. 

Yet, associations and advantages known and enjoyed 
by people living in the cities and towns across the Blue 
Ridge, are strange and unfamiliar to the mountaineer, 
tie has little or no intercourse with the population living 
beyond the mountains that stand as natural barriers be¬ 
tween him and the progress and development that are 
taking place elsewhere. 

His is a life spent amid conditions that vary but little 
from year to year, although in many respects (hard as 
they might seem to others) they appeal to him, and he is 
averse to any change. In the not distant cities and towns 
are found splendid schools for intellectual and manual 
training: institutions for higher education: the acceptance 
and observance of established rules of law and order: cul¬ 
ture and refinement; ample opportunities for advancement 
in life; and an open door for all who wish to avail them¬ 
selves of the benefits to be obtained through elevating 
associations. But the environments and associations of 
the man bom in some isolated cabin among the peaks of 


38 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


the Blue Ridge are vastly different. Here are none of the 
modem conveniences or advantages so easily obtainable 
in more favored localities. 

In his case life is often monotonous and dreary, and 
burdened by constant toil in the struggle to provide for 
his family the bare necessities of life. His youthful train¬ 
ing is not always of a nature calculated to improve the 
mind, for as a rule he had but few opportunities for re¬ 
ceiving an education, and there is a sad lack of properly 
directed religious teaching. He naturally absorbs the 
ideas of older people with whom he is thrown, many of 
whom have but rarely traveled beyond the surrounding 
mountains, and he adopts their habits and method of 
living. 

The ways of the mountaineer are inbred, and to his 
mind are the only ones consistent with the conditions sur¬ 
rounding his life, and he clings to them tenaciously. They 
are those which appeared right and proper to his fore¬ 
fathers, and there has been little or no change for gener¬ 
ations. 

He has inherited a fixed belief that whatever the earth 
yields as the result of his toil is his, to do with as he likes; 
and the constant interference (as he sees it) of the law in 
the form of revenue officers has engendered in his mind a 
peculiar antagonism for delegated authority in the shape 
of an officer. ...... 

He is kind-hearted and generous as a rule, and is pro¬ 
verbially hospitable, it being practically impossible to 
induce him to accept payment for entertainment of a 
stranger. 

But he is obstinate and determined in the defense of 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


39 


what he holds to be his rights, among which he includes 
his right to convert com or rye into whiskey and to dis¬ 
pose of the same without payment of a revenue tax. 

His feuds are often hereditary and are usually bitter. 
They frequently end in bloodshed, sometimes in murder. 
But he will quickly join forces against what he regards 
to be a common danger, and if one of his kind is in trouble 
or threatened with interference in his chosen avocation 
of illicit distilling, friends will shield him and enemies will 
refrain from giving evidence against him. 

Sometimes a man noted for his prowess and ability to 
cope with his adversaries becomes the leader of a clan, 
and exerts a powerful influence over his fellows; and no 
Highland chief ever received more faithful allegiance, or 
held more dominant sway over his clan, than do these 
leaders among the mountaineers of the Blue Ridge up¬ 
lands. 




















Chapter 3 


The court house at Hillsville is a small structure built 
of brick, and stands on a little slope about thirty-five or 
forty feet from the main street of the straggling little 
town. 

The “ green ” is perhaps five feet above the level of the 
street, with a retaining wall of about the height extending 
along the front. 

The court-room, which is thirty-six by thirty-eight feet 
in size, is approached by two flights of stairs from the 
ground floor. 

Taking the points of the compass from the position 
occupied by the Judge’s chair, which is in the center of 
the east end of the room, one of these flights of stairs 
enters the court room at the southwest comer, near the 
door of the office of the clerk of the court, which is direct¬ 
ly to the right of a person ascending the stairs on that 
side. 

The other flight of stairs ascending to the court-room 
from the northwest corner, bears the same relative po¬ 
sition to the office of the commonwealth’s attorney. 

The judge’s chair is on a raised platform, about two 
and one-half feet in height, and about fifteen feet in 
length. It is enclosed by a railing supported by four 
posts, placed about four feet apart and with pickets be¬ 
tween them. Directly in front of the judge’s chair and 
but a few feet distant, the bar is enclosed by a railing of 


42 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


the same kind; but that platform is raised but a few inches 
above the level of the floor. It is about the same length 
as the judge’s platform, and about ten feet deep. 

To the right of the judge’s chair is a door in the east wall 
of the court room, leading into the judge’s private room, 
which is in the northeast corner, close to the north wall. 
To the left of the judge’s chair, in the southeast comer, is 
the jury room, with the same relative position to the plat¬ 
form. 

Near the middle of the court room, on both the north 
and the south sides, respectively, is a large iron stove. 
At the west end of the room is another door leading into 
another jury room, sometimes spoken of as the grand jury 
room. To the left, or south, of the judge’s platform, is 
the desk of the clerk of the court, extending from the east 
wall to a point about even with the front of the judge’s 
platform. There is no direct communication between the 
clerk’s desk and the judge’s platform, which platform can 
only be entered by steps leading into it from the north 
side. The clerk’s desk, which stands on the floor, and is 
not on a raised platform, is separated from the judge’s 
platform by planks, and the exit from the clerk’s desk is 
through a small gate facing the west wall. The clerk sits 
with his back to the bar, and must turn and face directly 
about in order to leave his desk and walk out of the en¬ 
closure. 

Judge Massie, who had lost his left hand through an 
accident, sometimes sat sidewise to his desk, or with his 
chair half turned, and sometimes in a reclining position; 
but when busy or interested always sat erect and facing 
the bar. On the fatal morning of March 14th, Judge 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


43 


Massie convened court at the appointed hour. He had 
been warned repeatedly that in case Floyd Allen was 
found guilty and sentenced to imprisonment he might 
expect trouble, and was advised to arm himself. He de¬ 
clined to do so and went unflinchingly to his post of duty. 
He discharged that duty faithfully, and in doing so met 
his doom. 

Commonwealth Attorney, William M. Foster, had also 
been warned that Floyd Allen had declared: “I will 
kill Bill Foster before the sun goes down to-morrow, if 
I am convicted. ” On the morning the tragedy occurred, 
he told his family before leaving home, that he expected 
that would be his last day on earth. He seemed to have 
had a premonition of the tragedy about to occur, but went 
to the discharge of his duty with a courageous heart and 
died from an assassin’s bullet. The other court officers 
had also been warned to expect trouble in case of a con¬ 
viction of Floyd Allen. 

When court was convened, the several officers of the 
court were in their usual positions. Floyd Allen sat on 
a chair in the prisoner’s dock behind the bar, with his 
attorneys, Judge Bolen and Mr. Tipton beside him. 

The little court room was well filled with persons in¬ 
terested in the trial, there being probably two hundred 
present. Floyd and Sidna Allen had arrived just before 
the court house bell had rung. Friel Allen and a compan¬ 
ion were eating breakfast in a nearby restaurant, when the 
ringing of the bell announced the convening of court. 

The horses belonging to the Allens and the Edwardses 
were left in Blankenship’s stable and stable yard, with the 


44 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


exception of that belonging to Claud Allen, who left his 
horse in a stable back of a nearby store. 

Blankenship’s stable is situated about one hundred 
yards from the court house, just across a narrow alley 
running past the jail. 

On his way to the court house, Friel Allen, who had 
left an unfinished breakfast when the court house bell 
rang, stopped at a drug store and asked Doctor Nuckols, 
the proprietor, how long he would remain there, as he 
wished some medicine later. 

Upon entering the court house, or court room, the Allens 
and Edwardses occupied the identical positions they had 
taken in the room during the entire progress of the trial. 

Claud and Sidna Allen occupied a position in the north¬ 
east comer of the room, standing on a bench. Both were 
armed and had a supply of extra cartridges in their pock¬ 
ets. 

Wesley Edwards stood on a bench in the northwest 
comer, also armed and supplied with ammunition, Victor 
Allen standing near by. 

Friel Allen also stood on a bench in the front center, 
similarly armed and equipped. 

The position taken by Victor Allen and Wesley Ed¬ 
wards cut off egress at that point by way of the north¬ 
west door. That taken by Friel Allen barred entrance 
to the adjoining room. All means of egress from the court 
room were thus barred, except the southwest door. 

From the stations occupied by these members of the 
Allen Clan, not one was within the range of the others’ 
fire, but at the same time all could deliver a deadly cross- 


The HillsviJle Tragedy 45 

fire at the court and its officers, and without danger of 
striking Floyd Allen. 

The jury came in from the jury room and took their 
seats in front of the judge’s platform. Judge Massie 
asked: “Gentlemen, have you reached a verdict?” 
The foreman of the jury replied: “We have,” and handed 
it to the clerk of the court. The verdict was not in proper 
form, and Judge Massie accordingly dictated one framed 
in proper language to the commonwealth’s attorney, who 
laid the paper on a book held in his hand and wrote these 
words: “We, the jury, find the prisoner, Floyd Allen, 
guilty, and fix his punishment at one year in the peniten¬ 
tiary. (Signed) Foreman.” Judge Bolen, one of Floyd 
Allen’s attorneys, turned to him and remarked, “Take it 
quietly, Floyd, there is a brighter day coming for you. ” 
Allen replied: “I am going to take it 'cam,’ but I hate 
it on account of my two boys. ” 

Several motions were then offered by attorneys in 
other cases, after which Judge Bolen made a motion for 
a new trial for Floyd Allen, or to set aside the verdict 
just rendered. That motion was overruled by Judge 
Massie. Then Judge Bolen stated that he had some after- 
discovered evidence which he wished to submit, and asked 
the court to set a time for a hearing. Judge Massie 
granted the request and set the next morning, March 
15 th, as the time for the hearing. 

Either Floyd Allen, or Judge Bolen, or both, beckoned 
to Claud Allen, who was in the northeast corner of the 
room with Sidna Allen. Claud came into the bar, and 
Floyd Allen began to give him some instructions as to 
which horse to ride on a trip to secure the presence of 


46 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


certain witnesses which he, Floyd, said he desired in con¬ 
nection with an affidavit for the purpose of a new trial. 

Judge Bolen turned from them, and Floyd and Claud 
then held a whispered conversation, with their faces close 
together, “hand to face and mouth to ear.” After this 
conversation, Claud Allen returned to his position in the 
northeast comer of the room. 

Judge Bolen then made a motion for bail, pending a 
hearing the next morning for a new trial. Judge Massie 
refused bail on the ground that “bail cannot be granted a 
convicted and sentenced prisoner,” and said: “Mr. 
Sheriff, take charge of the prisoner. ” These were next- 
to the last words he ever uttered. Sheriff Webb advanced 
two steps toward the prisoner, one hand hanging by his 
side and the other at his mouth holding a toothpick. 
Floyd Allen sprang to his feet, and exclaimed, “ Gentlemen, 
I just ain’t a goin’!” and began to pull at the buttons of 
his sweater and draw his revolver. 

A shot rang out from the northeast corner of the room, 
fired by Claud Allen, and Judge Massie shuddered and 
began to sink down from his chair, mortally wounded 
through the breast. 

A second shot followed immediately from the same place, 
and Sidna Allen was seen advancing through the smoke 
with Claud Allen by his side, both firing rapidly upon the 
court officers and the jury. Floyd Allen had meanwhile 
drawn his pistol and had fired upon Commonwealth’s 
Attorney Foster, and sheriff Webb. 

Wesley Edwards was advancing from the northwest 
comer, with a Colt’s automatic pistol, in the direction of 


The Hillsville Tragedy 47 

clerk Goad and Commonwealth’s Attorney Foster, firing 
as fast as he could shoot. 

From his stand on a bench in front of the jury room 
door at the west end of the court room, Friel Allen was 
also firing upon the court officers. 

By this time Clerk Goad had stepped outside the railing 
surrounding his desk, at the south end of the judge’s plat¬ 
form, and had gone obliquely a distance of about eight 
feet to a point near the stove on that side of the room, at 
the same time turning to face Floyd Allen. 

Clerk Goad was armed with a 38-caliber Colt’s auto¬ 
matic pistol, which he had in a new holster inside his vest 
next to his shirt, his vest being tightly buttoned over it. 
On his attempt to draw the pistol it hung in the holster, 
but he finally succeeded in detaching it, and fired four 
shots at Floyd Allen, having in the meantime received a 
shot which entered his cheek near the corner of his mouth, 
passing entirely through and coming out at the back of 
his neck, tearing out the rear collar button of his shirt. 
His pistol then “hung,” and he stepped back towards the 
jury room working at it in an effort to get it “unjammed. ” 
He could not do so, but at this juncture Peter Easter hand¬ 
ed him a revolver. 

Deputy Sheriff Gillespie, kneeling down at the south end 
of the bar, and taking deliberate aim at Floyd Allen, fired 
four shots into his breast, seemingly without effect. 

Deputy Clerk Quesenberry, from a point at the south¬ 
west comer of the bar, had fired two shots at Floyd Allen 
from a 25-caliber automatic pistol, and turning, fired one 
shot at Friel Allen, missing him. 

Judge Bolen had lain down on the floor, in order to be 


48 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


out of the range of bullets, and Floyd Allen, after Quesen- 
berry’s shots, had fallen upon him and would not move. 
Judge Bolen finally succeeded in extricating himself from 
under him, and Floyd Allen then arose and leaping over 
the railing of the bar ran out of the court house. 

The other members of the Allen Clan had also rushed 
from the court house, with the exception of Sidna Allen, 
who, it is said, crouched down at the end of the judge’s 
stand and fired two shots at the prostrate body of Judge 
Massie. He then turned and ran from the court room, 
leaving by the northwest door, but turned at that point 
and fired one shot at Deputy Sheriff Gillespie, in return 
for a shot Gillespie had fired at him. Down in the yard 
Floyd Allen was limping around, shooting back at the 
court house. 

A tall young man, wearing a dark overcoat, afterwards 
ascertained to have been Sidna Edwards, approached 
Floyd Allen, reloaded Allen’s pistol with cartridges car¬ 
ried in his overcoat pocket, and handed back the weapon. 

Floyd Allen exclaimed: “There goes another of the 
damn scoundrels! I’ll get you,” and fired two shots at 
the man, who was James N. Early, one of the jurors. 

The county treasurer came across the green and ran 
towards the southwest end of the court house steps as 
he noticed Sidna Allen in the act of firing at him. Sidna 
Allen said: “Let’s get every one of the damn rascals!” 
and fired at him, striking a window shutter about twleve 
inches above his head. 

Clerk Goad had in the meantime gone to the top of the 
steps at the southeast corner of the court room leading 
down to the green, from which point, seeing Sidna 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


49 


Allen in the act of firing at some one on the green 
below, Goad opened fire on him with his second pistol. 
His daughter, Jezebel Goad, was by her father’s side. 
Sidna Allen jumped behind one of the large pillars in 
front of the court house, and fired at Goad, first from one 
side and then from the other, and Goad returned his fire 
until both had emptied their revolvers. Sidna Allen re¬ 
ceived one wound in the fleshly part of his arm, the bullet 
ranging through it and into his back within about five 
inches of the shoulder blade. After emptying his revolver 
at Goad, Sidna Allen jumped down into the street, ran 
behind the Confederate monument in front of the court 
house, and reloaded his weapon. 

All of the Allens and Edwardses then met at Blanken¬ 
ship’s stable, and Floyd Allen was assisted in mounting 
his horse. Growing faint, however, he was assisted out 
of the saddle and Victor Allen asked for a buggy. Blank¬ 
enship informed him he had none of his own. Floyd Allen 
exclaimed: “It don’t make no difference who it belongs 
to, git it, and git it damn quick!” The buggy was sup¬ 
plied, and Floyd Allen placed in it, but fainted and was 
taken out and laid on the ground, as it was supposed he 
was dead. The Allens then rode away on their horses, 
leaving Hillsville through private property and returning 
to the Fancy Gap road at a point about a mile from Hills¬ 
ville, going thence to their homes. Floyd Allen was taken 
to the Elliott House, accompanied by his son Victor, who 
had remained with him, and placed in bed. 

Doctor Nuckols had been sent for and when he arrived 
at the court house a gruesome sight met his eyes. Sheriff 
Webb was lying dead on the floor of the court room. 


50 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


Commonwealth’s Attorney Foster, with his body riddled 
by bullets, and shot through the head, the blood spouting 
from his ear and falling two feet from his body, had stag¬ 
gered along the south wall, finally reaching the jury room, 
where he died. 

Dexter Goad, the clerk, had been shot in four places, 
one bullet entering his cheek and coming out at the back 
of his neck, and he had eleven bullet holes through his 
clothing. 

Juror Fowler was dead, lying on the floor near the north¬ 
east comer of the judge’s bench, shot through the head; 
and Juror Cain was lying in the jury room, shot through 
the back and leg. 

Juror Howlett had also been shot in the back and seri¬ 
ously wounded. 

Rebecca Ayers, a witness, had received a bullet in the 
back, from the effects of which she died the next day. 

Before Doctor Nuckols arrived at the court house, a 
lady living at the Texas Hotel had brought a pillow and 
placed it under Judge Massie’s head. 

Juror Fowler was carried into the Texas Hotel and the 
Ayers girl had gone there also, while the others who had 
been wounded were carried out and cared for as well as 
circumstances would admit. 

Doctor Nuckols examined Judge Massie when he reached 
the court room, and found him in a dying condition. 
One bullet had entered his right shoulder, and passed 
through it into the lung. Another bullet had passed 
through his wrist and a third through his leg near the 
knee. He was suffering excruciating pain and asked for 
an opiate. Doctor Nuckols administered a hypodermic 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


51 


injection of morphine, but it did not have much effect. 
After a short interval Judge Massie said: “Sidna Allen 
shot me,” and a little later he repeated distinctly, “I am 
dying. Sid Allen killed me. ” A few minutes after mak¬ 
ing this statement he expired. 

Miss Ayers was taken to the home of a relative near 
Fancy Gap and died on the following day from the effects 
of the wound received in the court room. 

Meanwhile the wildest excitement prevailed in the little 
town of Hillsville. The court room had the appearance 
of a shambles, the principal officers of the court had been 
killed or wounded and the whole community was shocked 
and terrified by the crime. 

The news was being flashed over the wires throughout 
the whole country, and the wildest rumors were afloat. 
It was momentarily expected that the Allen Clan would 
return for Floyd Allen and that more bloodshed would 
result. 

Floyd Allen had sent for Doctor Nuckols, who called 
to see him repeatedly, but each time he went Allen re¬ 
fused to allow the doctor to examine his wounds. 

The wildest proposals were discussed by the terrified 
citizens. 

Finally the governor was communicated with and W. G. 
Baldwin and T. L. Felts, principals of the Baldwin-Felts 
Detective Agency, were placed in charge of the situ¬ 
ation. They were at that time, however, already using 
the wires to bring their men together at Hillsville. Detec¬ 
tive Elmer Brim and a party of men from Galax had ar¬ 
rived on the scene. Volunteers had been called for and 
about thirty deputies had been sworn in. Jack Allen and 


52 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


his son Barnett had arrived and were in the Elliott House 
with Victor Allen and Cabell Strickland, caring for Floyd 
Allen. 

Elmer Brim and Deputy Worrell took charge of ten 
deputies, put the Elliott House under strict guard, and 
kept it surrounded all night. They built a large fire in 
the middle of the street, for both light and comfort, as 
the night was both dark and cold, with rain falling in¬ 
cessantly. 

Jack Allen had left the Elliott House and had promised 
to return for Floyd, but did not do so. Floyd Allen never 
gave up hope of a rescue until the next morning, when 
T. L. Felts arrived in Hillsville and placed him under ar¬ 
rest. 

A posse of Baldwin-Felts detectives had left Roanoke 
March 14th, the day of the tragedy, on a special for Galax, 
and took supper at the home of T. L. Felts, at Blair, 
Virginia. They traveled all night, in trains and hacks, 
and on arriving within three miles of Hillsville found that 
“ Crooked Creek ” was so high they were unable to ford 
it with vehicles, and walked into Hillsville, reaching the 
town at about seven o’clock on the morning of the 15th. 

T. L. Felts at once took charge of the situation and went 
to the Elliott House, where he placed Floyd Allen under 
arrest and left him in charge of a guard. At about nine 
o’clock Floyd Allen was placed on a cot for removal to 
the jail. While he was being carried from the hotel to 
the jail, one of the officers noticed that the cover under 
which the prisoner was lying was being shaken and on 
partially removing it discovered that Allen was cutting 
his throat with an old, dull knife. The knife was taken 


The Hillsville Tragedy 53 

from him and the gash he had inflicted was given medical 
attention. 

Judge Waller R. Staples arrived from Roanoke during 
the morning and swore in as deputies the Baldwin-Felts 
men as they came in. 

The Allen Clan had not returned to Hillsville to try to 
rescue Floyd Allen, but were at large in the mountains, 
armed, and doubtless prepared to offer a fierce resistance 
to any attempt at capture. A long and thrilling man-hunt 
was about to take place. 



Chapter 4 


It has been heretofore stated that at the time the Hills 1 
ville tragedy occurred the weather was extremely inclem¬ 
ent and that the roads throughout the country adjacent 
were in an almost impassable condition. As these con¬ 
ditions prevailed throughout a considerable portion of the 
time during which Carroll county was scoured in all di¬ 
rections in the search for the Allens, resulting in the cap¬ 
ture of Claud and Friel Allen and Sidna Edwards, a des¬ 
cription of the difficulties encountered and the hardships 
suffered by the posse engaged in the man-hunt will now 
be narrated. The incidents recorded are taken from daily 
notes, carefully kept by E. C. Payne, of the Baldwin-Felts 
Detective Agency, and written in the form of a diary by 
Elmer Brim, who was Payne’s courier. 

Detective E. C. Payne was one of the men who cap¬ 
tured Claud and Friel Allen. 

This account of the long search through the rough and 
mountainous country traversed, is replete with stirring 
incidents, for every moment of the time spent on the track 
of the fugitives was fraught with danger to those compos¬ 
ing the posse. 

It was expected that the Allens would fight to the last 
ditch before surrendering. They were known to be well- 
armed and supplied with plenty of ammunition. They 
were men of the.most desperate character, each with a 
price set upon him for capture, dead or alive, and were 


56 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


familiar with every nook and cranny throughout a section 
of country which affords numerous hiding places and op¬ 
portunities for ambuscade. 

That portion of the country which is not a veritable 
wilderness is but sparsely settled, and the few inhabi¬ 
tants were either adherents of the Allens, or were so com¬ 
pletely terrorized, that little help or information could be 
gotten from them. 

Much of the work of trailing and raiding had to be done 
at night and at a season of the year when the weather was 
miserable and travel dangerous and toilsome. 

The work, however, was carried on with grim determi¬ 
nation and it resulted in the capture of the three members 
of the clan who had not succeeded in escaping from Carroll 
county. 

The two who had succeeded in making their escape from 
the mountains and had reached the Northwest, were sub¬ 
sequently captured in Des Moines, Iowa, under circum¬ 
stances which will be described in a succeeding section of 
this narrative. 

The account of the hunt for the Allens through the 
mountains of Carroll county, as recorded by Detective 
E. C. Payne, is as follows: 

u was at Winding Gulf, in Raleigh county, West Vir¬ 
ginia, on March 14th, the day the Hillsville tragedy oc¬ 
curred and about one o'clock in the afternoon I received 
a telephone message from T. L. Felts, who was in Blue- 
field, West Virginia, asking if I could join him at Hills¬ 
ville. 

He told me what had occurred at the trial of Floyd Allen 
and inquired whether I could come promptly. I was nine 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


57 


miles from Mabscott, the nearest railroad station on the 
“Piney Branch," a spur running out from Prince, on the 
main line of the C. and O. Railroad. I told Mr. Felts how 
I was situated and that the only way I could reach the 
railroad station would be to walk, and to carry my rifle 
and baggage. He laughed and asked: “Well, can't you 
walk?" I replied: “Yes, I can slide, if necessary," 
and that I would start at once. Accordingly I walked 
to Mabscott, where I arrived at about dark, and just a 
few minutes before the train left for Prince, on the main 
line. 

My trip to Mabscott was made through a blinding snow¬ 
storm and the snow which had already fallen covered the 
ground for a depth of six inches. Arriving at Hinton, I 
caught train No. 2 for Basic City, meeting with L. C. 
Felts and William Burwell. We arrived at Basic City 
early on the morning of the 15th and proceeded to Pulaski 
by way of Roanoke, over the Norfolk and Western Rail¬ 
way. 

The railway superintendent at Pulaski sent us to Betty 
Baker on a special train, arriving at Betty Baker early in 
the afternoon. 

After much difficulty, we succeeded in procuring a con¬ 
veyance to take us to Hillsville, thirteen miles distant, 
where we arrived soon after dark. 

The roads were almost impassable and rain was de¬ 
scending in torrents. Most of the older and experienced 
men of our force arrived in Hillsville during that evening 
and night. 

Attorney General Samuel W. Williams and Judge Waller 


58 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


R. Staples had come to Hillsville during the day, as had 
also Mr. T. L. Felts. 

Heavy rewards had been offered for the capture of the 
Allens, but we were handicapped in starting on their track, 
as we could secure no horses. A council was called, over 
which Attorney General Williams, Judge Staples and T. L. 
Felts presided, with Phaup, Harrison, Lee Felts, D. O. 
Baldwin, Burwell, John Faddis and myself present. Per¬ 
sistent reports had been received that the Allen clan were 
at Sidna Allen’s home, seven miles distant on the Fancy 
Gap road, and were fortified in a brick basement under a 
store. 

We were compelled to wait, as the condition of the 
roads, wintry weather, darkness and distance to be traveled 
precluded any movement on foot, and no horses were 
available. Captain Davant and Lieutenants White and 
Hartigan, of the state militia, had arrived, and were pres¬ 
ent at another council held the next morning. The weath¬ 
er had now become clearer, but was very cold. 

We secured horses by noon and our posse started for 
Sidna Allen’s home with Lee Felts in command. We dis¬ 
mounted on reaching Coltrain’s, about three-quarters of 
a mile from Sidna Allen’s home, and, by taking advantage 
of the hills got within about one hundred yards of his 
house, when we made a rush and surrounded the house on 
all sides. Lee Felts, Burwell and myself met at the front 
door, and, on opening it, Burwell and I entered first, all 
three meeting so closely that we almost “ jammed” to¬ 
gether in entering, 

Sidna Allen’s home is a large house, well built and of 
good architecture. It contains about ten rooms, and has 


The HillsviJle Tragedy 


59 


more “crannies” and “cubby-holes” than I have ever 
found in any of the hundreds of houses I have searched. 
We expected a fight and a fierce one, but a strict search 
of the house, outbuildings and store, failed to reveal the 
presence of any of the Allen gang. 

However, we found Sidna Allen’s blood-stained sweater 
with a bullet hole in the arm. 

Garland (Preacher) Allen, a brother of Floyd and Sidna 
Allen, was arrested, as was also his son. Garland Allen 
was put through a severe “third degree” questioning, 
but he positively denied having seen Sidna Allen, or any 
of his companions, and asserted that he knew nothing of 
their whereabouts. 

It was ascertained from other parties arrested later, 
that Sidna Allen saw and talked to Garland Allen after 
the shooting took place and received medicine from him in 
order to dress his wounded arm and back. Much dis¬ 
couraged at our failure to locate and capture the Allens, 
we returned to Hillsville. 

During the night information was received that the 
Allens were at the.home of Mrs. Alberta Edwards, the 
sister of Floyd and Sidna Allen, and mother of Sidna and 
Wesley Edwards. Accordingly, on the morning of Sun¬ 
day, the sixteenth, we started out across the Blue Ridge, 
over the Fancy Gap road leading to that point. The tel¬ 
ephone wires had been cut ahead of us, on each side of the 
Fancy Gap switch-board. We made our way to within a 
mile of the Edwards house, which is a natural fort, and 
placed the three militiamen in positions from which, with 
their long-range rifles, they could command the country 


60 


The HilJsville Tragedy 


thereaoouts, and watch by aid of glasses for any suspi¬ 
cious movements. 

Phaup, Burwell, Lee Felts, Mosby and myself, each 
took charge of four men and made a dash for the house in 
a body, with our horses on a dead run; scattering and 
surrounding it as we came into a field from the woods. 
My squad was ordered to go to the right and behind the 
house, through an orchard, and search an old cabin and 
the outbuildings, which we did, Mosby, Frank Jones and 
I going into the buildings. Jones and I examined the 
loft of the cabin, climbing up a narrow ladder and “ pok¬ 
ing ” our rifles ahead of us with our hats on the ends of 
them. Nothing but a large and innocent looking pile 
of blade fodder greeted us. After our eyes became ac¬ 
customed to the darkness we proceeded to search the 
loft. Suddenly I stepped into what I thought was a hole 
in the floor, and expected to fall through to the floor 
below. To my surprise, however, I landed safely, up to 
my knees in the “pot” of a big still. 

We made a close search and discovered two complete 
outfits, caps, stills and worms; the second one found being 
smaller in size and bore the evidence of having been cap¬ 
tured at one time, as it had been “devilled,” or cut full 
of the three-cornered holes which are made by the little 
hammer, or “still devil,” carried by revenue officers when 
on a raid. 

Brim and Lucas had continued on a gallop to the foot 
of the mountain, capturing two young men who had made 
a dash for the woods. We failed to get any information 
from them, but it developed later that we would have 


The Hillsville Tragedy 61 

highly prized the information they possessed but would 
not divulge. 

Brim, Lucas, Mosby and Kefauver kept on toward the 
foot of the.mountain and found the furnaces and mash 
tubs of the two stills. 

After a weary search of the bushes and rocks, including 
a cliff which we supposed was the notorious “Buzzard’s 
Boost,” all of us met at the Edwards home, where we 
bought and ate all the eggs Mrs. Edwards had. This was 
the first meal of the kind we had had, but we were des¬ 
tined to have a number of the same kind during the hunt 
for the Allens. 

After his capture Friel Allen made this statement: 
“When you-all came to the foot of the mountain, uncle 
Sidna Allen, Wesley Edwards and myself was in the Buz¬ 
zard’s Rock” (which we afterwards discovered was about 
one hundred yards further up the cliff we had examined, 
but was hidden by a clump of tall pine tops.) “Wesley 
and myself started to shoot, but uncle Sidna said: ‘Wait 
till they git closer. If we can kill them big fellows, the 
leaders, we can scatter that bunch.’ So we did not shoot. ” 

Brim subsequently examined this cliff and found Buz¬ 
zard’s Roost and searched it, as did several of us, at vari¬ 
ous times. It is a large rock, half cave and half shelf, 
about fifteen feet deep, three or four feet in height and 
about thirty feet long. From this place a fine view can 
be had of the surrounding country, but to those unfamiliar 
with its location it will escape observation, as it is com¬ 
pletely screened from view from below by the tops of 
trees reaching to the edge of the rock. 

Inside the Buzzard’s Roost Brim found a cartridge box 


62 The Hillsville Tragedy 

and a large piece of cloth, evidently one of Sidna Allen’s 
bandages. 

After finishing our meal at the Edwards place, we rode 
through the woods to the Willis Gap road, where Sidna 
Allen had a little clearing with a tenant house on it. We 
searched this, but with no results. We then searched all 
the houses we came to for miles about this section, but dis¬ 
covered no trace of the Allens. The captured stills were 
left with a family living near the Edwards place and a re¬ 
ceipt taken therefor. We then went to Floyd Allen’s 
house and searched it as well as other buildings on the 
place, including the store. 

In the store building I found a large still, within thirty 
feet of the public road, one small barrel of whiskey in the 
cellar below the store, and three kegs of whiskey in a feed 
house about seventy-five yards beyond. I placed the 
still and liquor in Floyd Allen’s store and locked them up. 

We asked Mrs. Floyd Allen to prepare a meal for us, 
which she did, and we also secured feed for our horses. 
Mrs. Allen was very kind to us, and is a fine woman and 
much to be pitied. We paid her liberally for our suppers 
and for the feed furnished for our horses. 

That evening we went into the timber land and the posse 
divided, one half proceeding towards Willis Gap, raiding 
in that vicinity and returning to George Thomas’ house 
where they secured supper and lodging for the night. 
The other party went to Hillsville, twenty miles distant. 

Deputy Marshal Steve Faddis went back the next day 
and secured the stills and liquor after we had sent him a 
message stating where they were to be found. 

At about three o’clock the next morning, deputy sheriff 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


63 


Bud Edwards, Mosby and myself went back to the Ed¬ 
wards house, and taking positions near by watched it un¬ 
til daylight, when we searched the place again, but dis¬ 
covered nothing. On searching the old house in the loft 
of which the stills had been discovered, we noticed a 
little closet under the steps and on opening it found a 
fifty-six gallon barrel of com whiskey, covered over with 
fodder and leaf tobacco. From the appearance of the 
barrel it was very old, the bung having been nailed in 
with wire nails which had rusted nearly in two in the wood. 
Lee Felts came in and we knocked in the head of the barrel 
and poured out the liquor. We did not sample the whiskey 
as “raiders” never drink any of the whiskey they capture, 
as they are fearful of being poisoned. 

Sidna Allen’s property having been taken under at¬ 
tachment by the court and his horses taken to Hillsville, 
pending the damage suits to be brought by the families 
of those killed in the court room on March 14th, we started 
on the road to Galax at about 5:30 P. M., March 19th, the 
party consisting of T. L. Felts, Phaup, Burwell, Brim, 
Lee Felts and myself. We arrived there at about nine 
o’clock and went to bed for a little rest. 

The next day at about four o’clock P. M., after having 
added John Faddis to our posse, we started by way of the 
Piper’s Gap road for the Sugar Loaf Mountain and Lambs- 
burg country and by midnight reached “Billy” Hawks’ 
place at the foot of the mountain, below what is known as 
“the jumping-off place.” 

On our way to Hawks’ place, our presence was signalled 
from point to point over every mile traveled. After dark¬ 
ness had set in, fires were started on numerous hill-tops 


64 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


indicating the where abouts of our men. On arriving at 
Hawks’ place, we found Jack Allen there. 

The posse, with the exception of T. L. Felts, Phaup and 
myself, remained in a woods nearby, or in a bam near the 
house, so that we were the only ones who showed them¬ 
selves. 

After a long wait, in order to allay suspicion on the part 
of Allen or Hawks, we started on what we felt certain was 
to prove an eventful journey. The night was so black 
that it seemed we could actually “feel” the intense dark¬ 
ness. We hoped to surprise the Allen gang and had made 
up our minds to have it out with them, quietly or other¬ 
wise. We had strong reasons for fearing an ambush and 
accordingly rode in single file along the dark road, or 
trail. 

Before leaving Hawks’ place, T. L. Felts made a settle¬ 
ment covering some important business matters connected 
with his estate, and all of the “old heads” took a hard 
look at each other, as we felt our ride might be the last 
one we would take together. After riding about a mile 
to a point near the place we expected to find the Allens, 
two shots were fired directly ahead of us, one loud, heavy 
shot, and one keener and lighter in sound, and when we 
made a thorough search we found our birds had flown. 

We traveled about four miles further, until we came to 
a point where the road or trail crosses a large creek, and 
rode into a little clearing on the side of the road. Tying 
our horses to our wrists with the hitching straps, we but¬ 
toned up our “Slickers” and lay down in the standing 
water which covered the entire flat and took a two hours’ 
nap. 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


65 


We then continued on our journey several miles further 
until we reached a store kept by a mountaineer named 
Jones. We entered his stable and lay down in the fodder, 
hiding our horses in the bushes near by, and waited for 
some of our scouts to make their appearance. 

After getting breakfast we went into the “Flower Gap” 
and searched every house in that vicinity, after which we 
worked over toward Fancy Gap. Lee Felts then left us 
with part of the squad to work back twenty miles toward 
Galax and through the ridges toward Piper’s Gap. 

T. L. Felts, Brim, Mosby, Kefauver and myself arrived 
at the old hotel building at Fancy Gap after darkness had 
set in and finally succeeded in arranging for ourselves and 
our horses to be kept over night. We needed rest, having 
ridden eighty-two miles since saddling our horses at Galax, 
with much strenuous climbing and rough walking besides. 

On March 22d, we received information that Sidna 
Allen and Wesley Edwards were at “Dick Gwinn’s wid¬ 
ow’s” house on the left of the Willis Gap road going south. 
At 2:30 A. M., on the 23d we started with a guide, and 
“felt” our way for some miles on foot through pouring 
rain and sleet to the edge of the Gwinn clearing. We 
stood there until 5:30 A. M., in the down-pouring rain* 
huddled together in a bunch trying to keep warm. 

I had fallen into a “sink hole” and had cut my left knee 
badly, and was suffering severely from the injury, but we 
stood there in the rain until it finally soaked through our 
“Slickers” and hats, but when daylight came we “rushed” 
the four buildings (three cabins and an old log still house) 
and surrounded them. 

We made a careful search, examining the lofts and other 


66 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


possible hiding places, but discovered nothing. Sorely 
disappointed, we worked our way back to headquarters, 
arriving at about ten o’clock. 

On this same day, March 22d, Sidna Edwards was 
captured near Lambsburg, in Carroll county, by L. C. 
Felts and W. W. Phaup. His capture was effected with¬ 
out any particularly striking features, as he was encount¬ 
ered in the public road by the two detectives at night and 
arrested. It was reported that Edwards had been sick of 
a fever. The fact is he had been suffering for quite a while 
from the effects of a bad burn on his foot and ankle, re¬ 
ceived by spilling hot “mash” made at his Moonshine 
still near his mother’s home. 

On Sunday, at two A. M., we started for Solomon 
Ayers’ place in a blinding snowstorm with the wind blow¬ 
ing a terrific gale. In the face of this storm we traveled 
up and across the top of “Elk Spur” and it was with ex¬ 
treme difficulty that our horses could make any headway. 
The wind was the most severe I have ever encountered, 
and twice during the night the horses Mosby and I were 
riding were blown bodily out of the road. 

We finally succeeded in crossing the crest of the ridge 
and started down the north side of the mountain. The 
terrific wind, blinding snow, intense darkness and danger 
from falling timber combined to make that ride one long 
to be remembered. After we descended below the snow 
line and came to the smaller timber, we dismounted and 
hid our horses and walked. 

We were obliged to cross a little creek at the foot of the 
ridge and as I was wearing high laced boots while my 
companions wore shoes and leggings, I waded that creek 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


67 


six times and carried a man across each time on my back, 
as I knew they would freeze while waiting for daylight if 
they got their feet wet in crossing the creek. 

We had been informed that Sidna Allen’s dog had been 
seen around Solomon Ayers’ bam, and that someone had 
been sleeping in the bam. We surrounded the house and 
bam and when daylight came, we “ rushed” the place and 
made a search. We found the nests in the hay and evi¬ 
dence that men and a dog had been there, but the cold had 
driven them out the night before. It was known that 
Sidna Allen’s dog was gone from his home, and the in¬ 
formation we had was straight, and we barely missed 
meeting them, for on our way back we found tracks which 
we felt certain were made by Sidna Allen and Wesley 
Edwards. 

We followed these tracks until they could no longer be 
distinguished. We afterwards learned that they were in 
a cave that day, known as “Buzzard’s Rock,’’(there are 
several places in this part of the country bearing that 
name), within fifty feet of the road traveled on our way 
to Ayers’ place. 

Luck seemed to be against us. 

On the twenty-sixth we searched Bald Rock Knob from 
three o’clock A. M., until noon, with no success. 

We raided and searched the entire day of the twenty- 
seventh when T. L. Felts left us, remarking: “Boys, I 
am desperate.” I replied: “Never mind, Mr. Felts, 
we will get one of them today, or tomorrow.” On the 
twenty-eighth I got information that Claud Allen was 
in hiding somewhere south of the Edwards house, near 


68 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


the North Carolina line, and was being fed by a man 
named Easter, in the “ Tolbert settlement. ” 

Lucas and I scouted slowly across the country that 
morning. It was “flat woods,” full of small ridges and 
mountains, and covered with a growth of ivy, young locust 
and broomstraw, “as thick as the hair on a dog’s back.” 
We finally reached Easter’s house and found him absent, 
but intercepted him on his return. 

He looked guilty, and on close questioning could give no 
satisfactory account of where he had been. We placed 
him under arrest and I asked Lucas how long it would take 
him to get the other three men. His reply was short, and 
he was off like a Comanche Indian. In about an hour he 
returned with Smith, Mahood, and Pritchard. We hur¬ 
ried our horses into the bushes near a spring and took 
Easter with us, following his “back tracks,” which were 
plain. After going about three miles he had turned into 
the woods, and at that point three ridges ran into a com¬ 
mon center “like the heel of a turkey’s foot. ” 

We had to crawl along by the side of an old stone fence 
at the edge of a little field to keep out of sight of the clear¬ 
ings on our left, and on reaching the end of the fence we 
saw a man on horseback to our right, at the edge of the 
woods, and another down in the field. 

The one in the field went to an old chestnut stump took 
a jug from it, filled a bottle and put something back into 
the stump, presumably a jug. Then they came on to¬ 
gether and we held them up. 

The man on foot had a double barreled shot gun and a 
belt full of cartridges, also a revolver, a pair of “knucks” 
and a bottle of moonshine whiskey. 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


69 


We left both men there, under guard, and went in and 
searched the first ridge for about a mile but with no results. 

We came back over the second ridge and lay down on 
the ground waiting for a squall of wind and rain to pass. 
We then started over the third ridge, Lucas taking the 
center, I the left, with the others on the right. 

My side proved the shortest, and I came out at the end 
at an old tobacco barn, which I searched. Some one had 
been sleeping in it and tracks corresponding to the size of 
shoes Claud Allen was supposed to wear led from the 
tobacco barn to a spring in a little swamp about one hun¬ 
dred yards distant. At the spring I found the same track, 
fresh, and followed it to the hard ground at the edge of 
some bushes on the hillside. 

Here I squatted down, both for a breathing spell, and 
because I knew the other men were soon due, and did not 
wish to be mistaken by them for Allen. 

I was there about five minutes when I saw a man slipping 
by through the bushes at my right. I felt certain our men 
had started one of the Allens and fixed the sights of my 
rifle on his left arm, intending to hold him up when he 
reached the open and have the drop on him. 

Just as he got in a line with me, due south, he suddenly 
straightened up and threw forward his Winchester. I 
saw a man jump up about fifteen feet in front of him, and 
about thirty feet from me, and Lucas, for it was he, said: 
“Put them up, quick.” 

Claud Allen answered: “I’ve got them up.” Lucas 
said: “Put the other arm up!” and Allen replied: “I’ve 
got it up.” Lucas then said: “That’s what I call a 
man.” I called out: “Watch to your right side, Luke,” 


70 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


and made my way through the bushes to them, when we 
disarmed Allen. 

When captured, Claud Allen had a 38 hammerless 
Smith and Wesson and a 38 Colt’s, with plenty of car¬ 
tridges. He also had about a half bushel of bread and 
meat and a half gallon jar of water; also eighty-three 
dollars and sixty-seven cents in money and a good gold 
watch. He had a bed in the laurel roots, made of several 
quilts, and also had a “slicker.” 

I fired a shot to call in the others, and after some time 
they arrived. We then returned to where we had left 
our detained prisoners and released them. 

Claud Allen wanted to go by his home, about four miles 
away, but I told him I could not bear scenes of that kind, 
and we mounted him on Smith’s horse, Lucas and I 
riding on each side of him. In this manner we traveled 
over the Fancy Gap road to Hillsville, twenty miles distant, 
where we arrived shortly after dark in a pouring rain. 

We were so nearly exhausted from fasting and fatigue 
that we could scarcely stand after dismounting from our 
horses. We turned Claud Allen over to the guards at the 
jail and went to bed for the first time in many days and 
nights. 

Claud had a violent attack of cramps on the way to 
Hillsville and I felt sure he had swallowed poison. We 
accordingly rode hard, but he recovered as soon as he 
dismounted from the horse. 

Mr. Felts arrived shortly after we did. He would have 
been with us at the capture of Claud Allen had he not 
heard sounds of firing to our left, about the time we started 
back from the mountains with Claud. 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


71 


He proceeded in the direction of the firing, thinking one 
of the fugitives might have captured one of our couriers. 
After running his horse about three miles, he overtook the 
man who was doing the shooting. He proved to be the 
man on horseback whom we had arrested before we cap¬ 
tured Claud Allen. After being released he had gotten 
drunk and was firing his automatic pistol, which I had 
overlooked while searching him. He had finally shot his 
own horse through the neck. 

On the morning of the next day, March 29th, T. L. Felts, 
Lucas and I made an early start from Hillsville and went 
out through Fancy Gap and, when nearly across the Blue 
Ridge, we received information that Friel Allen had made 
his way to his father’s house, about a quarter of a mile 
from the Fancy Gap road, and near the Gap. We accord¬ 
ingly turned back and rode to Jack Allen’s, where we 
arrived at about noon. Jack Allen was on his porch, in 
company with his wife. 

Upon riding up to the house, Mr. Felts said: “Mr. 
Allen, we have information that your son is here and we 
must make a search.” Jack Allen replied: “All right, 
look!” Mr. Felts sat on his horse outside the house, at a 
point from which he could view the entire premises and I 
entered the house and made a search. I found no trace 
of Friel Allen and both Mr. Felts and I then went to the 
bam, which is a very large one, and searched that also, 
but with no success. 

When we came to the wagon shed, which is built into 
the middle of the bam, we found in it a number of vehicles 
of all descriptions. Among them was an old “North 


72 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


Carolina, ” boat-shaped wagon-body, lying on the floor at 
one side, with a lot of straw and trash in it. 

Mr. Felts examined all places where a man might likely 
be hidden, while I stood at the door, rifle in hand, and 
covered his movements. He started to work the old 
wagon-body, but stopped and turned to look under the 
lowered top of a buggy, when I saw a man spring up from 
the bottom of the old wagon body. 

I called to Mr. Felts: “ Look out! ” and to the man: 
“Hands up!” in the same breath, and Mr. Felts and I had 
our rifles on him in a second. He put up his hands and 
called out: “I give up.” 

The man, who was Friel Allen, was in a bad physical 
condition, being worn out and hungry, and had a chill. 
We took him outside and Mr. Felts took off his overcoat 
and made Allen wear it. Afterwards we took him to the 
house and asked Mrs. Allen to make an apple toddy for 
him, which she did. After drinking the toddy he seemed 
better. 

His brother Barnett came in and we allowed Friel to 
have a bath and let Barnett shave him and cut his hair. 
Then all of us had a good dinner. Mrs. Allen displayed 
great fortitude, but poor old Jack broke down completely, 
and I was much moved by his distress, for I have always 
liked Jack Allen. 

We mounted Friel on his own horse, and between us he 
rode to Hillsville, not handcuffed, and was placed in jail 
with Claud Allen. 

After a few hours rest we departed early on the next 
morning for Jones’ store, and waited until daylight when 
we surrounded and picketed the farm of Wilborn Easter, 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


73 


as we had received information that Sidna Allen and 
Wesley Edwards would cross there that night. We 
closed in on Easter’s farmhouse at daylight. Mr. Felts, 
Lucas and I went to the door and Easter met us. 

He seemed so willing to permit a search that he deceived 
us completely, particularly as he disclaimed any knowledge 
of the whereabouts of the fugitives, and said he had no 
sympathy with them. 

We searched without avail and felt somewhat ashamed 
of ourselves, but started to the barn, when John Faddis 
and I discovered tracks coming from a patch of broom- 
straw and small bushes standing in the middle of a field 
leading into a tract of several hundred acres of ivy. 

We followed them back and we found a nest in the 
broomstraw where two men had slept that night, and com¬ 
ing to that point from a fence which ran to Easter’s house 
were three trails made by the same kind of shoes in each 
instance. These tracks were made by a man wearing 
large shoes, one of which had a patched heel and sole on 
one foot. We followed the tracks back to Easter’s house 
and made him come out again. We fitted his shoes to the 
tracks on the ground and found they corresponded exactly, 
patches and all. 

We then went back to the “nest, ” where we discovered 
a receipt to Wilbom Easter for $73.00, signed, “Sidna 
Allen,” with a notation, “paid away from home.” 

Our state of mind and temper can be imagined. 

We searched that whole section of country, and took 
Easter with us, much against his will, but discovered no 
trace of the Allens or Edwardses. 

Easter’s wife is a sister of Wesley Eewards and was 


74 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


sick, and we therefore released Easter, who, however, 
followed me, indulging in jeering and insulting remarks. 
I asked him twice to leave, but he persisted with his annoy¬ 
ance until I was finally compelled to knock him down, 
after which he took his departure. 

On Sunday, March 31st, word was sent in by Brim, 
Franklin, and the guide, that Sidna Allen had been 
“started” near ’squire McMullen’s. Accordingly,Charles 
Patton and I took another guide and started south from 
George Thomas’ place on the Willis Gap road to intercept 
him at or near Tom Strickland’s, about two miles below. 
Just at sundown, we came to a little creek running through 
the center of a small field. To cross it I had to make a 
long jump from the bank which was rather higher on the 
side where I was than on the other. In doing this I made 
some noise. When I reached a fringe of bushes along the 
side of the fields I saw very fresh tracks just outside the 
edge of the bushes, where a man had started to step out 
and had turned back. I feel certain these tracks were 
Sidna Allen’s for the little slab across the creek at that 
point still showed the wet footprints made as he went 
back into the woods. I therefore missed meeting Sidna 
Allen in the open by only a few seconds. 

He was armed with a shot gun and I had a Winchester 
and had I been watching the field a short distance away 
we would have met. But he evidently heard the noise 
made when I jumped across the creek and retired into the 
woods. I have always regretted not meeting him in that 
field. 

At about twelve o’clock that night the State blood¬ 
hounds arrived, having been sent via Mount Airy, North 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


75 


Carolina, in charge of Handler Lane from the State farm at 
Richmond. We put them on the trail at daylight and they 
took it finely, but soon lost it. Sidna Allen told me since 
that I had the dogs on his trail that day and that he and 
Wesley went back into the mountains. 

Darkness came on and Detective Patton and I took 
advantageous positions on the trail running along the south 
side of the mountain, being stationed about one hundred 
yards apart. A little before midnight, Patton came to me 
to get a match, and while doing so his rifle was discharged, 
the shot narrowly missing my head. We realized then 
that there was no use in watching that particular road any 
longer and went in about an hour before the arrival of 
the bloodhounds. 

We ascertained on the next day that Sidna Allen and 
Wesley Edwards had succeeded in penetrating our lines 
during the night and, at a point about two miles west, 
had passed close by the log cabin of a man named Bevens, 
who, it is alleged, ran a moonshine still near there. On 
hearing his dogs bark, Bevens went to his door and heard 
men “thrashing” through the bushes close to his hog pen. 
He fired three shots in their direction with a shot gun and 
set his dogs after them, following them for about a half 
mile along an old “woods road.” 

On the next day I saw the tracks of the dogs and those 
of the two men and followed them. I believe the men were 
Allen and Edwards. 

A few days after this occurrence, “Sugar” Smith sent 
me word about midnight that Sidna Allen had been at his 
store on top of the mountain at Willis Gap and asked for 
food, but that he had none left, as he had sold all his stock. 


76 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


Phaup, Lucas and I took the bloodhounds on our saddles 
and rode to Smiths store, which we reached about day¬ 
light, when we put the dogs on the trail. 

The dogs followed the trail for about two miles when 
they lost it in the burnt woods. 

Sidna Allen told me afterwards, while in jail at Roanoke, 
that we were “ after him ” on that day, being within a mile 
and a half from him and Edwards. That both he and 
Wesley Edwards saw us with the hounds and that he 
then said to Edwards, “We’ll have to leave.” 

I left my men and rode into the mountains alone for 
about a mile and searched the houses belonging to two 
of Sidna Allen’s kin. One of them was a neighbor moon¬ 
shiner named Allen (he told me he was running a still) 
and the other was a cousin of Sidna by marriage. 

Our entire squad of men were worn out, as were the 
horses, but we were determined in our intention to work out 
every clue that might lead to a capture. We believed 
that if we could only get them “started” and on the run 
out of these mountains we could catch them by another 
class of work, and after events showed this view to be 
correct. 

A few days prior to the raid, we had raided through a 
mountain on the old Volunteer Gap road, and arrested 
a man by the name of “Deck” Allen, who was a cousin of 
Sidna Allen, and who had the reputation of being a noto¬ 
rious thief and moonshiner. We put him through the 
“third degree, ” but finally released him with plain threats 
as to the kind of reward he would receive in case he was 
found guilty of any evil doing in the future. It seems 
that our admonition proved effective, as it is said he has 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


77 


reformed, much to the relief of neighbors in the vicinity 
who raise fruit, hogs and chickens. 

While searching this mountain, Lucas and I ascended 
to the top and got into a fog which was so dense that we 
could not see one another six feet distant and had to wait 
for an hour or more until it became somewhat clearer before 
attempting to descend. 

The descent was a difficult and dangerous one, as the 
mountain side was almost perpendicular and full of crev¬ 
ices and holes. Besides, the surface was “shaly,” and 
when a loose rock was dislodged it would slip out of sight 
into the fog and start numerous others, big and little, 
rolling down the mountain side. 

We fired our signal for getting together (two shots) and 
finally met the others of our squad at the foot of the moun¬ 
tain. 

We then raided and searched in the direction of the 
North Carolina line, getting but one very light meal that 
day, with no rest for man or beast in twenty-four hours. 

During the entire night following, we continued to raid 
the country. There was no rest taken. The men would 
drop to the ground, half dead from exhaustion, but by 
the time they were asleep a scout would come in with the 
message, “Saddle up and keep quiet. Think something 
doing. ” It was fearful work. On April 14th, we received 
word that two men answering the description of Allen 
and Edwards had been seen on top of Fisher's Peak. 

John Faddis, John Parsons, Cunningham and I left 
Galax at one o'clock P. M., and ascended the peak on the 
west side, reaching the top at about five o’clock P. M. 

This peak is 3,912 feet above sea level and is approached 


78 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


on the west side by an ancient trail for men or horses. 
The view from its top is grand, and the country on every 
side can be seen for a distance of twenty-five miles. We 
had phoned to the other men, under Phaup at a point 
near Floyd Allen’s home, fifteen miles from t;:e peak, to 
meet us on the top and bring the hounds with them. 

They arrived shortly after we did and we tied the 
horses together and sent them back to the foot of the 
peak at “Toe Nail Gap.” 

Spreading out, we started on foot down the southeast 
side of the mountain and searched it thoroughly. The 
dogs gave tongue on the trail, but a heavy rain began to 
fall and “put out” the trail. 

We worked down to the foot of the peak and found three 
“still” places in one ravine. 

We came together at the foot of the peak just as darkness 
came on and signalled for our horses to be brought to us. 
We rode into Lambsburg, arriving there at ten o’clock 
that night, utterly exhausted. 

On the next day we rested until about noon and then 
scattered and scouted in the pouring rain for the remaining 
part of the day. On the following day we went in to our 
headquarters near Floyd Allen’s house and slept all day. 

During the following day, Albert Baldwin, Lucas and! 
paid a visit to Jerry Allen’s widow (his second wife) who 
is living with some people near Lambsburg. 

We found her to be a very old woman (nearly ninety 
years of age) but bright and intelligent and still showing 
evidence of having once been beautiful. She talked with 
us very frankly and with every indication of honesty, telling 


The Hillsville Tragedy 79 

us many anecdotes about her step-sons, one of which is as 
follows: 

“My man (Jerry Allen) owned his farm to his death, 
but had got mighty poorly. Jack (Allen) has always 
been a good, kind son to me, and is a mighty lot of help to 
me now. Sidna and the rest never done nothing for me. 

“Not long before the old man (Jerry) died Sidna and 
Garland (the preacher) got to plottin’ to get his property, 
and got after him to sign it over to them. He wouldn’t 
do it, so one day Sidna come over. He laid around a day 
or two, poutin’ and mad and sulky, and one day Garland 
come over and him and Sidna went around the house and 
got to talkin’ together. 

“Me and the old man was out on the front porch when 
they come around and Garland grabbed the axe from the 
wood pile and started at his pappy. I started to git be¬ 
tween them when Sidna drawed a gun on me and rammed 
it into my breast and pushed me back into the house. We 
had a big dog and he was under the house and when Garland 
aimed to hit my old man with the axe he run out from 
under the porch and grabbed his arm and bit him and then 
jumped on Sidna. I was hollerin’ and they run off then, 
but they aimed to kill him. 

“They was both always mean and had tempers, but Jack 
was good to me and his pappy.” 

We gave Mrs. Allen some little presentsand some tobacco 
and departed, feeling as though we had listened to a tale 
from the dark ages, but looking at this sweet-faced old 
woman, and listening to her simple story, we could only feel 
that she was uttering truth in all she spoke. 

After a few more days of scouting and raiding, we became 


80 


The HillsviJle Tragedy 


convinced that the fugitives had escaped from the moun¬ 
tains and left that section of Virginia. 

People whom we had never known to be away from 
their homes since the Hillsville tragedy occurred began to 
travel over the roads, and on meeting with us would stop 
and talk freely and without the plain but furtive expres¬ 
sion of fear on their faces of perhaps being watched by those 
whom they most feared. Everyone seemed to show a 
feeling of relief and one day during our councils, Phaup 
and I decided that the fugitives had gone from that part 
of the country and that further search was useless. 

Our men were then gradually dropped out of service. 
Phaup left after a few more days of useless scouting, during 
which time I arrested Jordan Edwards and jailed him in 
Hillsville for giving succour to the fugitives, and caught 
a man on his way to him with a few crude instruments to 
effect his release. 

I left Hillsville on April 2/7th, leaving a few men scat¬ 
tered through the district in charge of Albert Baldwin, 
and with a secret-service man on the case (our own secret 
service). 

Time passed on until the day set for the first trial held 
at Wytheville. Floyd, Friel, and Claud Allen and Sidna 
Edwards had been arraigned at Hillsville and a change of 
venue granted to have the trial take place at Wytheville 
and the prisoners were taken to Roanoke and confined 
in the jail there to await trial. 

On April 23d, Floyd Allen, Victor, Friel, and Claud 
Allen and Sidna Edwards were in jail at Hillsville, after 
having been arraigned in the Hillsville court, preparatory 
to being taken by wagon to Galax, fifteen miles distant, 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


81 


and from there to Roanoke over the Norfolk and Western 
Railway. Wesley Smith, a “bad” man from the Grease 
Creek section of Carroll county came to the jail and got 
troublesome, acting as if drunk and being disagreeable 
generally. I arrested him and placed him in jail, from 
which he was shortly afterwards released. He continued 
his troublesome conduct, and finally Lucas undertook 
to arrest him again, whereupon Smith drew a large knife 
and attacked Lucas, striking at him savagely with it. 
Lucas threw up his arm to ward off the blow and caught, 
the blade in his hand, cutting it severely. Lucas then 
struck Smith, knocking him senseless. 

Smith has a bad record, having killed one man at Grease 
Creek, and stabbed another almost to death. 

Cabell Strickland and his brother Dave, who are friends 
of the Allens, had been constantly threatening me with all 
kinds of dire treatment. These men were there. These 
two Stricklands got together a crowd of their kind, a 
species of “rough necks,” and friends of the Allens, and 
assembled in front of the jail. Their actions were becom¬ 
ing more threatening every moment and I realized that 
the time had arrived for drastic action. 

I therefore started with Cabell Strickland, whom I 
judged to be the ringleader, and thrashed him, after 
which I placed him in jail. As I came out, his brother 
Dave started for me and I knocked him down. 

Cannaday, one of our men, then arrived with our rifles, 
when I gave the crowd thirty seconds to clear that street 
and leave town. They took their departure as directed, 
and did not use all of the prescribed time in doing so. 

I then marched the Stricklands out of town, against 


82 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


the protests of their lawyers. It was a dangerous situa¬ 
tion for the time being, but we had the town cleared of the 
crowd in about five minutes. 

The next morning at seven o’clock we started to Galax 
with the prisoners. It was a hard trip, due to the state 
of the roads and Floyd Allen’s wounded condition, but we 
arrived at the railroad station at about noon and placed 
all of the prisoners on the train for Roanoke, in charge 
of D. O. Baldwin. 

After I left the county, the “chase” settled dowm to a 
close watch of all points which it was suspected the two 
fugitives might visit, with little or no change worth noting. 
Sidna Allen and Wesley Edwards seemed to have vanished 
from the face of the earth. 

Their homes, as well as those of all persons suspected 
of giving them aid, were kept under close and systematic 
watch, a detective working near by as a farm hand, and 
other means constantly being considered or adopted, but 
no clue was found as to the whereabouts of the men we 
were striving to capture. 

Near the Fancy Gap and close to the home of old Jerry 
Allen, is situated the famous “Devil’s Den,” which bears 
a reputation in keeping with the name applied to the spot. 

The top of the mountain at this point is flat, but it 
breaks very abruptly on the south side, and on that side 
at about a quarter of a mile below is the “Devil’s Den.” 

It is an almost vertical shaft, approached by a rugged 
gorge full of large boulders and at no point can two men 
walk abreast, nor can a person at any point in this gorge 
see but a few feet in front, owing to the numerous rocks 
and the devious winding of the trail. 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


83 


The opening, or mouth, of the shaft, is a fearsome spot, 
and the shaft descends for a distance of nearly seventy 
feet. It can only be entered by climbing down the trunks 
of small trees which have been felled and let down from 
shelf to shelf, their limbs being lopped off with a small 
portion projecting in order to afford a foot-hold on these 
improvised ‘ ‘ ladders. ’ ’ 

Numerous rooms branch off from this shaft and a stream 
of water flows through it. Swarms of bats inhabit these 
dark and gruesome chambers in the “Devil's Den" 
which curves through the mountains, the exit being from 
a hole in the ground near the Fancy Gap road. 

This cavern was at one time a hiding-place for moon¬ 
shiners and all classes of criminals. There are traditions 
among the mountaineers that many dark crimes have been 
committed and their evidences hidden in this horrible 
place. 

Lucas and Jack Allen entered it and went through the 
passage on one of our raids, but at that time the extreme 
dampness of the place made it uninhabitable, except for 
the bats. 

I saw it many times, and G. V. Buck’s special photog¬ 
rapher secured a good picture of it on one occasion, with 
Lucas and myself at the entrance—a feat of photography 
which I did not think possible. 

On October 29th, I was detailed on special night guard 
at the Roanoke jail for Sidna Allen and Wesley Edwards, 
and went on duty that night. 

The authorities had good reason for fearing an attempt 
to escape, and also believed that Allen might attempt 
suicide, knowing the temperament of those people. 


84 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


Sidna Allen and Wesley Smith were both in the same 
cell, in the southwest corner of the second floor. 

I had an excellent opportunity to observe and make 
a study of them at close range, as I was stationed within 
three feet of them every night in the little corridor between 
their cell and the outside wall of the building. 

During the time I was on guard I made many efforts to 
induce them to tell of their movements while evading 
capture in the mountains of Carroll county, but Sidna 
Allen was uncommunicative and prevented Wesley Ed¬ 
wards from answering any questions regarding their move¬ 
ments at that time. 

At times Sidna Allen was nervous, silent and sullen, but 
generally the smooth, suave and smiling Sidna the public 
found him. Our instructions had invariably been to 
‘‘Treat them the best you know how,” and I tried in 
every way to do so. I endeavored to gain their good-will 
by varying the jail food, but never succeeded. 

Sidna Allen’s eyes possessed a peculiar property—one 
that I have rarely observed among the thousands of 
criminals I have handled (I have made no less than five 
thousand arrests)—that of shining or “burning” in the 
dark, like those of a catamount, or wolf. 

It was only at times that this was noticeable, and when 
observing it I often pondered over what thoughts must 
have been passing in his mind, and of the many times that 
same baleful light must have shone in his eyes when I, or 
some of my men, passed him on the mountains, as I did 
on one occasion within a distance of fifteen feet. His 
eyes are usually bright, smiling, and narrow looking, but 
when he is angry or sullen they are round, staring, and as 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


85 


unblinking as those of an owl. He has the most cruel 
looking mouth I have ever seen except in the case of one 
other criminal. 

On November 6th, we took the two men to Wytheville, 
and on the morning of the seventh, the trial of Sidna Allen 
for the killing of Judge Massie was begun by empanel 
ing a jury, which, however, was discharged because some 
of the members disqualified themselves for service by 
talking about the case. 

A second jury was afterwards secured from Grayson 
county. 

After the evidence had been submitted, arguments were 
made by counsel for the commonwealth and by those for 
the defense, and the case went to the jury. 

After remaining out until 6:30 P. M., on the day the 
case went to the jury, they found themselves unable to 
agree upon a verdict, and were brought back and sent to 
their hotel until nine o’clock A. M., the following day, 
being still unable to agree. 

They reached a verdict the next day, November 22d 
and brought in a verdict of second degree murder, with a 
penalty of fifteen years in the penitentiary. 

Attorney Wysor immediately stated that the common¬ 
wealth was ready to go into the case of Sidna Allen charged 
with the murder of William M. Foster. Judge Staples set 
the case for trial on December 2d, and ordered a venire 
summoned from several counties in the northeastern part 
of the state, notable Prince William county, Fairfax 
county, Albemarle county, Loudon county, and consisting 
of seventy-five men and the night of November 22d, we 


86 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


returned with the prisoners to Roanoke and again placed 
them in the jail at that place. 

On the next night I took up the weary task of guarding 
them, with Sidna Allen occupying his old cell and Wesley 
Edwards in a cell on the southeast corner of the same 
floor. 

On December 1st, we again conveyed the prisoners to 
Wytheville and on the morning of the second they were 
taken to the court house, and the tedious work of empan¬ 
eling a jury was begun. 

A jury was finally secured on December 3d and the 
opening arguments made by counsel on December 4th. 

On the eighth Sidna Allen was put through another 
examination, and the closing arguments were made by the 
attorneys in the case. After arguments lasting four and 
one-half hours on each side, the case went to the jury, who 
retired to the jury room at 2:30 P. M., on December 10th. 

At 1:19 o’clock of the afternoon of December 11th they 
reached a verdict of “Voluntary manslaughter,” with a 
sentence of five years in the penitentiary. 

Counsel for the commonwealth at once notified the 
court of their readiness to proceed with the case of the 
Commonwealth vs. Sidna Allen for the murder of Sheriff 
Webb. 

The attorneys for the defense then held a consultation 
and proposed a compromise, which was finally reached, 
Sidna Allen pleading guilty and receiving a sentence of 
fifteen years more, making thirty-five years in all, as he 
had previously received a sentence of fifteen years for 
participating in the murder of Judge Massie. 

Francis Cocke, one of the attorneys for Wesley Edwards, 


87 


The Hillsville Tragedy 

then proposed a compromise in the case against him, 
which was finally reached, and he received a sentence of 
twenty-seven years in the penitentiary. 

We left Wytheville with the prisoners at 8 o’clock 
P. M., December 13th and reached Roanoke about mid¬ 
night and I spent my last night in the Roanoke jail with 
Sidna Allen and Wesley Edwards. The guards from the 
States Prison arrived early the next morning and took 
them away from the jail in chains. 

Immediately on their departure from Wytheville their 
demeanor changed. All suavity and smiles disappeared 
from their faces, and they applied to Lucas and myself 
all the villainous epithets and obscene remarks they could 
utter, and continued to do so until they were placed in 
the cells at Roanoke. No account was taken by them of 
all the acts of kindness we had extended to them and to 
their families during their incarceration. 

But their attitude and actions towards us were just 
what we expected, and with a sigh of relief we saw the door 
of the railroad coach close on them the next morning, 
nine months from the day the Hillsville tragedy occurred. 

Never before, during seventeen years of service as an 
officer, have I handled as cold-blooded and calculating 
a set of men, or any so totally destitute of gratitude. I 
make this statement after a cool, unbiased study of them 
covering many months of varying conditions and circum¬ 
stances. 


“Edwin Chancellor Payne.” 










Chapter V 


It is perhaps hard for the general public to understand, 
or fully appreciate the nature of the task undertaken by 
the Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency, in effecting the 
capture of the members of the Allen clan who participated 
in the Hillsville tragedy on March 14th, 1912. 

From that date until the capture of the last of the men 
responsible for the death of the court officers and the 
members of the jury, the whole section of mountainous 
country adjacent to Hillsville had been searched and all 
roads and trails guarded. Suspected places and persons 
were placed under strict surveillance and every possible 
precaution was taken to prevent the escape of the men 
hidden in the mountains. 

The section of country in which the Baldwin-Felts 
posse was compelled to work, is one of the wildest and 
most difficult to penetrate that can be found in the Blue 
Ridge range, part of it being a veritable wilderness. The 
men for whom they were hunting had been raised in these 
mountains, were familiar with every road or trail leading 
through them, knew every habitation, out-building or 
nook where a hiding place could be had, and rarely moved 
about except at night, concealing themselves during day¬ 
light. 

They had many friends and relatives living among the 
ridges, and those from whom information might have been 
secured as to their whereabouts were either afraid to give 


90 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


it, or were in sympathy with the Allens, who were kept 
warned whenever possible of the movements of the posse 
who were searching for them. They were known to be 
well armed and supplied with plenty of ammunition, and 
it was believed they would attempt to ambush some of the 
parties searching for them; or, that they might fortify 
themselves in one of the many rocky fastnesses common 
to that mountainous country and fight to a finish. It 
was desperate and perilous work and those engaged in it 
were subjected to hardships of every character, as the 
season of the year throughout which the man-hunt was 
made was one during which snow and rain were almost 
constantly falling, and roads and trails were nearly impas¬ 
sable. 

Couriers were not permitted to carry rifles, but were 
armed with revolvers, as it was feared that they might 
be ambushed while traveling alone, and the fugitives 
thereby come into possession of high-power, long-range 
rifles. Each day during all the time the posse was in the 
mountains searching, the couriers had to ride a distance 
of twenty-five miles in order to carry reports from the 
officers at Hillsville to and from the point where Phaup 
was stationed on the Fancy Gap road, near the North 
Carolina line, and that at which Payne was stationed, 
on the Willis Gap road, about three miles from the state 
line. 

Besides, practically every raid was begun necessarily 
at night and much travel was done in the darkness in order 
that the movements of the various searching parties 
might not be communicated to the Allens by friends or 
sympathizers. 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


91 


Under these circumstances, the “field work” was 
conducted which resulted in the capture of three of the 
fugitives, the other two having escaped from the country 
and gone to Iowa. 

The Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency sent out thousands 
of letters, and clues of every description were followed up 
for two months after the captures made in Carroll county, 
and until Sidna Allen and Wesley Edwards were found 
and captured in Des Moines. 

Besides this, the prisoners had to be guarded, duties in 
connection with the trials required attention, the prison¬ 
ers had to be transported from Hillsville to Roanoke, 
and from thence to Wytheville, where the trials were 
held; and in addition to this a strict watch was kept over 
friends of the Allens in order that there might be no pos¬ 
sibility of a repetition of the Hillsville tragedy during 
subsequent trials. 

The office work included sending out seventy-seven 
thousand photographs which were mailed to every point 
in the civilized world from March 14th to September 14th, 
the latter date being the one on which Sidna Allen and 
Wesley Edwards were captured. 

Three hundred and twenty-seven clues were investi¬ 
gated, most of them by mail, but the agency actually 
sent out men and ran down eighty-three different clues, 
each of which seemed to give promise of developments. 

The work in connection with these clues frequently 
necessitated journeys to cities and towns at a long dis¬ 
tance from Roanoke, but no effort was spared whereby 
Sidna Allen and Wesley Edwards might be apprehended 
and brought to justice. 


92 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


Shortly after the arrest of Friel Allen, most of the 
Baldwin-Felts force was withdrawn from the mountains, 
leaving only a small number of men under charge of E. C. 
Payne and W. W. Phaup, pursuing such tactics as they 
felt might be productive of results. 

During the last days of July they reported that they 
were certain Wesley Edwards had been in the vicinity 
and that a young woman named Miss Maude Iroller, 
living on the Mount Airy road about three miles from 
Edwards’ home had been in communication with him by 
mail. 

Miss Iroller’s home had been constantly watched, and 
her actions kept under strict surveillance, as it was known 
that she was Wesley Edwards’ sweetheart. 

Shortly after the secret service men reported that they 
believed Wesley Edwards had visited the locality, Miss 
Iroller stated that she had lost fifty dollars, but the money 
was subsequently found. It was then decided to watch 
carefully every movement made by the Iroller girl. 

About September first she began to talk of a visit sue- 
intended to make to friends in High Point, North Caro¬ 
lina, and on Wednesday, September 11th, she left home 
for that place. 

On arriving at Mount Airy, she boarded a train for 
Greensboro, North Carolina, changing cars at Walnut 
Cove, and proceeded to Roanoke, Virginia, where she 
arrived on the night of the same day. 

While in Roanoke she made the acquaintance of a 
young man who was going west, but who had to remain 
there until the next day in order to take a train which 
would carry him to his destination. 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


93 


The young man with whom she became acquainted was 
detective H. H. Lucas, of the Baldwin-Felts Detective 
Agency. 

Oscar Monday, who was also detailed to watch the 
Iroller girl kept out of her sight, as she knew him, and 
would doubtless have been suspicious of being watched 
had she seen him. 

On Thursday, September 12th, Miss Iroller left Roanoke 
on Norfolk and Western train No. 3, bound for Chicago. 

Lucas left Roanoke on the same train, riding in the same 
coach in which Miss Iroller was seated, and in a Pullman 
car on the same train were W. G. Baldwin and Oscar 
Monday. Detective Lucas had sent a code message to 
W. G. Baldwin at Roanoke, advising him as to what had 
transpired. 

It was subsequently learned that Wesley Edwards, 
after escaping with Sidna Allen from the mountains in 
Carroll county, and going to Des Moines, had actually 
returned to Virginia and paid a visit to the Iroller girl and 
to his own home. 

That he had given Maude Iroller the money necessary 
for her expenses to Des Moines, and had also gotten a 
pearl handled 38-caliber Smith and Wesson revolver 
belonging to Sidna Allen and took it with him to Sidna 
Allen on his return to Des Moines. W. G. Baldwin, one 
of the principals of the Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency, 
kept Miss Iroller under close watch throughout the trip 
from Roanoke to Des Moines. 

The train arrived in Chicago at five P. M., on the eve¬ 
ning of September 13th, and left for Des Moines, Iowa, 
at six P. M., which was Miss Iroller’s destination. This 


94 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


date was exactly six months from the time Floyd Allen and 
his brother Sidna left the court house at Hillsville to ride 
to their homes on the evening preceding the morning of 
the Hillsville tragedy, March 14th. On arriving at the 
Union station in Des Moines, early the next morning, 
Miss Iroller inquired how she could reach a boarding house 
kept by a Mrs. Cameron, located at the corner of Eleventh 
and Locust streets. 

Miss Iroller walked up Locust street five blocks, until 
she came to Eleventh street and located the boarding 
house, detectives Baldwin and Monday shadowing her 
carefully. When the girl reached Mrs. Cameron’s porch, 
detective Lucas was just entering the door, as Mrs. Cam¬ 
eron had met him and rented him a room. Mrs. Cam¬ 
eron’s daughter met Maude Iroller and walked with her 
to a side porch. 

W. G. Baldwin then came to the house with a telegram 
addressed to a Mr. “Thomas, ” and signed by Frank Iroller 
the father of Maude Iroller, stating that “his daughter 
had run away from home to marry a man living at Mrs. 
Cameron’s, and that while he had no objections to the 
marriage, he did not want his daughter going over the 
country with a man until they were married. ” 

Mrs. Cameron at once said that Joe Jackson, Maude’s 
sweetheart, was out at the time, being at work, but that 
his partner, Mr. Sayers, was up stairs, and called to him, 
saying that Joe Jackson’s sweetheart had arrived. Sidna 
Allen, who was known at the Cameron boarding house, 
as “Tom Sayers,” came out of his room and was at once 
covered by Lucas with a revolver until Detective Baldwin 
got to him and also covered him with a pistol. Allen 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


95 


looked at the officers fully a minute before he put up his 
hands and was handcuffed. Baldwin then called up the 
Chief of Police by telephone, who came to the Cameron 
house in an automobile, when Lucas and Monday, as¬ 
sisted by two of the Des Moines police force, took charge 
of the prisoner. Mr. Baldwin and the Chief of Police 
then searched the entire western part of the city from 10:30 
A. M., to 4 o’clock P. M., but could find no trace of Wesley 
Edwards. 

Mr. Baldwin then suggested that all street cars from 
the west end district be searched after work closed at 
five o’clock. They accordingly proceeded to Twenty- 
fourth street and Ingersoll avenue and began searching 
the cars at 4:45 P. M. Five cars had been searched and 
they had nearly finished going through the sixth (all being 
packed with men returning from work) when Mr. Bald¬ 
win discovered Wesley Edwards on the rear end of the 
car. Edwards saw him, sprang to his feet and made a 
dash for the rear door, knocking down several people in 
his attempt to escape. 

The Chief of Police met him at the rear door of the car 
and seized him by the neck, while Mr. Baldwin had 
grasped him by the leg in the struggle. Mr. Baldwin 
placed his pistol against Edward’s side, when he surrend¬ 
ered and was taken to jail and locked up with Sidna Allen. 
A train for Chicago was scheduled to leave within thirty 
minutes, and while one of the detectives went to the Cam¬ 
eron boarding house for Miss Iroller and the prisoners’ 
baggage, the others took the captive men to the railroad 
station. 

On being joined by the detective with Miss Iroller, the 


96 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


seven P. M., train for Chicago was boarded, and that 
city reached on Sunday. 

The pistols belonging to Allen and Edwards were found 
in their suit-cases, and they were unarmed when captured. 

Both men had been working in Des Moines, and were 
earning good wages. Sidna Allen had joined the carpen¬ 
ter’s union under the name of “Tom Sayers,” and had a 
union card in his pocket bearing that name when arrested. 

Large crowds met the train at stations during the entire 
journey from Des Moines to Cincinnati. At Cincinnati 
the crowd was so dense that the officers had great difficulty 
in getting to the street cars with the prisoners. 

They arrived in Roanoke at about noon on September 
16th, and went to the Baldwin-Felts office where they 
remained until one o’clock, when they were taken to the 
Roanoke jail in an automobile, guarded by detectives 
Baldwin, Lucas, and Monday. 

Sidna Allen immediately wrote to his wife regarding 
plans for securing attorneys to defend him at his trial. 

The arrest of Sidna Allen and Wesley Edwards in Des 
Moines on September 14th, terminated a chase which had 
lasted for exactly six months from the day of the Hillsville 
tragedy. 

Sidna Allen and Wesley Edwards were taken to Hills¬ 
ville on September 22d and arraigned, and then returned 
to Roanoke and placed in jail. 

Their trial after one continuance, was set for November 
the 7th, and E. C. Payne was detailed as special guard for 
Allen and Edwards, in the jail at Roanoke, spending each 
night within a few feet of them, in the space between 
their cell and the wall. On November 6th, they were 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


97 


taken to Wytheville for trial under guard of Ernest Bald¬ 
win, Lucas, Hartigan, Stiff and Payne, placed in jail there, 
and on the next morning taken to the court house in 
charge of Payne and Lucas. 

A jury had been summoned from Giles county, and after 
two* days of weary questioning during which sixteen men 
were selected from the venire of fifty, they were dismissed, 
having disqualified themselves through talking about the 
case. Another venire was then summoned from Grayson 
county, the prisoners being kept guarded day and night 
by detectives and by the jailer, Samuel Hurt. 

On Monday, November 11th, a jury was secured from 
the new venire, and the case was opened, that day, the 
prisoners being charged with the murder of Judge Massie. 

The commonwealth opened the case at about eleven 
o’clock the next morning, with Judge Bolen on the stand 
as a witness. 

Judge Bolen’s evidence was clear, direct and convincing. 
It was, in substance, as follows :- 

“I was Floyd Allen’s attorney, and Mr. Tipton was my 
associate; and on the morning of March 14th when the 
jury came in with the verdict giving Floyd Allen one year 
in the penitentiary, was with Allen in the bar. I said 
to him: ‘Take it quietly, Floyd, there’s a brighter day 
coming for you.’ ” 

“He replied, ‘I’m going to take it ‘cam,’ but I hate it 
on account of my two boys. ’ I then made a motion for 
a new trial, on the plea of after-discovered evidence, and 
the judge agreed to give us a hearing on the next morning. 

“As we needed a witness from the country for the pur¬ 
pose of an affidavit, I turned and beckoned to Claud 


98 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


Allen, who was standing in the northeast comer of the 
room. He came within the bar, where his father, Floyd 
Allen was sitting, and talked about which horse he should 
ride. I turned from them and paid no attention to the 
further conversation which they held and which I did 
not hear. 

“Then Judge Massie, having refused a motion for bail 
pending the hearing for a new trial, asked me if there was 
anything else we wanted to say in connection with the 
case. I replied: ‘No, sir,’ and Judge Massie then said: 
‘Mr. Sheriff, take charge of the prisoner.’ Webb started 
forward. Floyd arose and said: ‘Gentlemen, I just 
ain’t goinV and began to fumble at his sweater. He 
reached to one side, and then to the other, and then 
reached down on the side next to me, and I saw the 
gleam of a pistol. 

“I looked first to Victor Allen as I had always regarded 
him as a peacemaker and then looked at Claud Allen, who 
was standing in the northeast comer. As I looked at 
Claud Allen, I saw him in the act of leveling a pistol at 
Judge Massie. I saw the smoke and spray from the pistol 
as he fired, and saw the lint fly from Judge Massie’s right 
shoulder as the bullet struck him. Judge Massie shivered 
as the bullet struck him, turned and looked toward the 
north wall, and began to sink in his chair. A second shot 
followed from a point to the right of where Claud Allen 
was standing and its smoke covered Judge Massie’s 
person. I could not see who fired the second shot, but 
immediately Sidna Allen emerged from out of the smoke, 
with a pistol in his hand and with Claud Allen by his side. 


The Hillsville Tragedy 99 

both advancing in the direction of the court officers and 
firing rapidly upon them. 

“ First there was one shot fired, then after a short inter¬ 
val the second shot was fired, then a ‘batch’ of shots al¬ 
most instantly. I turned and looked towards the north¬ 
west comer door and saw Wesley Edwards advancing and 
firing rapidly in the direction of the officers. Then the 
shooting became general, and I found myself between the 
two fines of fire. I dropped to the floor and got partly 
under a bench, and after a few seconds Floyd Allen fell 
down upon me. I said: ‘For God’s sake get off me, or 
they will kill me in shooting at you, ’ and after a while 
succeeded in getting from under him. ” 

This evidence is substantially the same as was given 
by Judge Bolen in the seven trials held in the Allen cases, 
in all of which he testified as a witness. 

His testimony was corroborated by that of seventeen 
other witnesses as to the fact that the first shots were 
fired from the northeast corner of the court room, and by 
several witnesses that Claud Allen fired the first shot. 

When Dexter Goad was placed on the witness stand as 
a witness for the prosecution, he testified that he was a 
native of Carroll county and had been elected to the 
office of the court for a second term, and that his relations 
with the Allens were friendly so far as he knew. That he 
had armed himself with a 38 automatic pistol in conse¬ 
quence of having heard of threats being made by Floyd 
Allen as to what he would do in case he was convicted at 
his trial during the March term of court. That after 
Judge Massie had directed Sheriff Webb to take charge 
of Floyd Allen after his sentence, he saw Sheriff Webb ad- 


100 


The HiJIsville Tragedy 


vance a step or two in the direction of Floyd Allen who 
arose from his chair and began to fumble at his sweater. 

That about that time he heard shots fired from the 
northeast corner of the court room, and he then stepped 
down from his desk to the floor of the bar, and tried to 
draw his pistol, which he had in a holster in the inside 
pocket of his vest, but the pistol hung in the holster. 

That while attempting to draw the pistol he went in 
an oblique direction to a point near the stove located near 
the south wall, and after some delay succeeded in drawing 
his gun from the holster, but before doing so he was shot 
through the cheek, the bullet coming out at the back of 
his neck and tearing away the rear collar button of his 
shirt. 

That Sheriff Webb had fallen to the floor before he, 
Goad, began to shoot. That he fired four shots while in 
the court room, all of which he aimed directly at Floyd 
Allen. That his pistol then hung fire, when he stepped 
back towards the jury room, and some one then handed 
him a revolver. 

That he did not recall seeing Sidna Allen, or any of the 
other Allens shooting in the court room, except Floyd 
Allen, but heard shots fired from the northeast side of the 
room. 

That he then went down stairs to the south steps where 
he saw Sidna Allen pointing a pistol at him, and that he 
fired at Sidna Allen and continued to fire at him until he 
emptied the cylinder of his revolver. 

On the morning of May eleventh, Floyd Allen was placed 
in the witness chair with a pillow to support his injured 
leg. 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


101 


After being sworn he stated that he would be fifty-five 
years of age July 5th, 1912 and that he was born in Carroll 
county where he had spent his entire life, and that his 
fathe r had been born in Carroll county and had lived 
there until his death, excepting for the four years during 
which the Civil war lasted. 

He stated he had held several “ little offices ” in the 
county, namely, constable for Fancy Gap district, county 
supervisor, and deputy sheriff. He stated that Sidna and 
Wesley Edwards came to his house after the trouble they 
found themselves in on account of disturbing worship of 
a religious meeting and asked him to become security for 
their bail. That they stated they had no money to em¬ 
ploy counsel and that as he was “down sick” he advised 
them to leave the country and secure work until he could 
look into the matter, and that the Edwards boys accord¬ 
ingly went to Mount Airy, North Carolina. 

That he had not seen the commonwealth’s attorney, 
but that he had contracted to go to Hillsville as soon as 
he was able, and give bond for Sidna and Wesley Edwards’ 
appearance at court. That he had been to Hillsville to 
engage counsel for them and while returning to his home 
met them in custody of “Pink” Samuels, a deputy sheriff, 
who had gone to North Carolina and arrested them without 
requisition papers. When asked if any one was hurt in 
the fight which then occurred, he replied: “That’s been 
the report all the time. ” 

That after he had been indicted for his participation 
in releasing the Edwards boys from custody of Deputy 
Sheriff Samuels he had always assured the court he was 


102 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


ready for trial and had given bond in the sum of five hun¬ 
dred dollars for his appearance. 

That he stayed at Sidna Allen’s house on the night of 
March 13th, and when he rode into Hillsville on the morn¬ 
ing of Thursday, the 14th, he was told: “They are call¬ 
ing for you at the court house.” That he rode quickly 
to the first convenient hitching place where he left his 
horse and hurried to the court house. 

That he thought the jury was out when he arrived but 
that he was in the court room when they brought in their 
verdict. That his attorneys made a motion for a new 
trial, and that Judge Bolen made a motion to call Victor 
but probably made a mistake and called Claud. That 
on asking Judge Bolen about sending for Mr. Dawson 
and H. T. Rigney, who were desired as witnesses, Claud 
asked which horse he should take and that he, Floyd 
Allen, told him to take Mary, the mare he had ridden into 
town, as she was saddled and bridled, and that there was 
nothing secret about their conversation. 

Floyd Allen testified that when he said he was not go¬ 
ing anywhere, he meant he would not go with Dexter 
Goad, the clerk, but that he intended to go peaceably 
with Sheriff Webb. 

That he had been sitting with his right side towards 
Goad, and saw him look at Sheriff Webb and wink, and 
that Goad then brought up a pistol from his pocket so 
that he, Allen, could see it. That he then arose and said: 
“ I ain’t goin’ nowhere with you, Mr. Goad, ” and that Goad 
then fired at him, but that the sheriff fired a little sooner 
than Goad did, and then Goad fired a second time and 
“numbed his leg,” when he fell to the floor, after which 


103 


The HiJlsviJle Tragedy 

Goad fired at him while he was down. That he saw Sher¬ 
iff Webb fire but once, and did not see him afterwards 
but that he heard half a dozen shots fired after he fell 
to the floor. 

That as he fell he was feeling in his hip pocket for a 
small “pocket gun” he was carrying, and that after he 
pulled it from his pocket the pistol exploded, one shot 
being fired “straight up” and the second “sorta slantin’ 
up. That he half straightened up and saw Quesenberry 
the deputy treasurer firing at him with a pistol through the 
railing of the judge’s stand, and that as he arose Quesen¬ 
berry shot him in the right hip. He then fired back twice 
at Quesenberry. That he saw three pistols pointed at 
him through the railing and when he arose to his feet he 
was facing Dexter Goad. That he turned, throwing his 
left side towards Goad. That he was shot in the left 
side and thought the bullet was a 38 but never found it, 
nor did he find the one which struck him in the leg, but 
found one large bullet in his underclothes near a blue 
place on his left thigh. 

That he left the court house and went down the steps 
next to the Thornton (Texas) House, when he saw Dexter 
Goad at the front of the other steps. 

That he had dropped his pistol, or it had been knocked 
from his hand in coming in contact with the door on his 
way down, and when he met the Edwards boy with a pistol 
in his hand he said to him: “I am shot bad, have you got 
any gun? I didn’t see his gun, because the side he had 
it on was away from me. He turned, and I jerked the 
gun out of his hand and went on down towards my horse. ” 

That he saw Dexter Goad and one or two others coming 


104 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


down the left side steps, and that he was shot in the left 
knee by one of them. That he thought Goad fired the 
shot which wounded him in the knee. That the first shot 
Goad fired at him on the green spattered the mud in the 
street and the second struck him in the knee. That Goad 
then turned his gun on Sidna Allen and that two other 
men were also firing at Sidna Allen. 

That he, Floyd, then turned and fired at Dexter Goad 
and “tried to hit him.” That he then hopped across the 
street and asked someone to get his horse for him. Floyd 
Allen swore that he had not pointed his pistol at either 
Sheriff Webb or Commonwealth’s Attorney Foster in the 
court room and that he did not see either of them after 
the first shot was fired, and that he fired exclusively at 
Quesenberry because Quesenberry was shooting at him. 

That he was sure Goad had stepped down to the lower 
steps at the beginning of the fight. That he had not shot 
at Goad while in the court room nor had he fired at either 
Juror Faddis or Juror Cain, nor had he fired at Juror 
Early while in front of the court house. 

That Sidna Edwards did not reload his pistol for him on 
the street, and that he had no extra cartridges in his 
pocket. 

That his own pistol is a 38 hammerless and shoots lead 
cartridges, not steel covered bullets. That he had never 
seen anything resembling a steel breast plate or armour, 
and that while the chamber of his pistol would bold six 
cartridges he generally loaded it with but five in order 
that there might be one empty chamber for the hammer 
to rest on for safety, and he supposed it contained five 
cartridges on the day of the shooting. 


The Hillsville Tragedy 105 

When Floyd Allen was found guilty and a verdict 
brought in by the jury May 13th, and their decision an¬ 
nounced, Floyd Allen’s face showed no signs of emotion. 
He twirled his gray mustache and showed no quiver of 
an eyelid nor tremble of a finger. His wife was sitting 
beside him, upright in posture for the first time during 
the trial. Her face was like white marble and as color¬ 
less and still, and there was no twitching of features and 
no tears. 

Jack Allen and Garland Allen, brothers of the convicted 
man, were seated a few feet from his right, and were grave 
and calm with faces also impassive. Garland Allen oc¬ 
casionally turned his face towards Floyd, yet tugging at 
his mustache, but made no other sign. 

All proceedings were quiet, decorous and formal, there 
being no excitement in the court room, nor a tear or a 
symptom of nervousness anywhere. 

Judge Staples overruled a motion for a new trial, stated 
that every doubtful point had been settled in favor of the 
defendant, and that he would postpone sentence to some 
time later in the term so as to give other defendants 
the opportunity to use the prisoner as a witness. He 
then thanked the jury for their patience and endurance 
throughout the trial and stated that the State appreci¬ 
ated their services. He then ordered the jury discharged 
and the members crowded out together with feelings of 
relief after their long and arduous duties. 

In his remarks before overruling the motion for a new 
trial Judge Staples said that he sanctioned the verdict, 
which seemed to him to be required by the evidence. 
By a coincidence, the weather on the day Floyd Allen was 


106 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


convicted, May the 17th, was almost identical with that 
which prevailed on the day of the Hillsville tragedy, March 
14th; dark, lowering clouds; cold, with promise of slow, 
chilly rain or snow. 

Before leaving the court room after his conviction 
Floyd Allen leaned over and kissed his wife, pallid and 
cold and enveloped in black. 

When she went to the jail to tell him good-bye before 
she left for their home in Carrol county, he allowed his 
tears to flow. Like the other Allens, he always has been 
a faithful and considerate husband. Throughout his 
testimony Floyd Allen repudiated the statements that 
he bore any ill-will against Judge Massie, Sheriff Webb, 
or Commonwealth’s Attorney Foster, and denied having 
made any assertions that he would wreak vengeance upon 
officers of the court or jury in case of his conviction. He 
asserted that he had been treated fairly by Judge Massie 
prior to the trial and had been admonished by the judge 
not to carry a gun as it would likely be seen and cause him 
to get into trouble. 

He stated that there had been bad feeling between him¬ 
self and Dexter Goad, the clerk of the court, and that 
Goad was responsible for the fact that he refused to be 
taken to the jail and was the cause of the shooting which 
took place in the court room. 

When Claud Allen was placed on the witness stand in 
his own defense, on May 29th, he testified as follows: 

That he was six feet one and one-half inches in height 
and weighed one hundred and eighty-six pounds. 

That he was twenty-two years of age and was educated 
at Fairview and at a business college in North Carolina. 


The HillsvilJe Tragedy 107 

He said he did not have a pistol in his possession until 
Victor Allen, his brother, left one on the table in their 
room in the hotel, on the morning of the shooting. That 
he picked it up for fear someone would take it in their 
absence. 

He went to court alone and that, as he entered the court 
room, he saw Victor Allen on a bench near the door. 

He stated that when Floyd Allen, his father, arose 
from his chair he saw Dexter Goad with a pistol raised 
in the direction of Floyd Allen and that he then reached 
for his own pistol. 

That his uncle, Sidna Allen, fired just about the time 
Dexter Goad fired, and that the next shot was fired by 
himself at Dexter Goad, and he followed it by three more 
shots aimed at Goad’s head. 

He claimed he did not shoot at Judge Massie, and that, 
if a bullet from his pistol struck the judge it was by ac¬ 
cident, as he had no malice against him. 

That he was standing about six or eight feet from the 
northeast corner and about four feet from Sidna Allen 
and rather in front of Judge Massie when he shot at Dex¬ 
ter Goad. That he did not see Judge Massie sink down 
in his chair, as he was looking at Goad. 

After shooting at Goad his pistol hung, when he got 
behind Sidna Allen and put his gun in a holster and left 
the court room. 

He saw his uncle, Sidna Allen, reload his pistol as he 
jumped behind him in the court room. 

That he again drew his gun from the holster while in 
front of the court house, as he saw some one shooting in 
his direction, and fired one shot in return. 


108 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


That, in leaving in Hillsville, he went with his uncle 
Sidna to his store and procured more cartridges. 

That he then left Sidna Allen and had not seen him 
since. 

The evidence given by Sidna Allen in his own behalf, 
when placed on the stand as a witness by the defense dur¬ 
ing his trial was, in substance, as follows: 

That he was forty-six years old and had lived in Carroll 
county all his life, had been married twelve years, and his 
occupation was that of a farmer and merchant. 

That his place of business was six miles south of Hills¬ 
ville, Virginia, and that he was in attendance at court each 
day the March term of court was in session, having been 
summoned as a witness, and also being under bond to 
to answer an indictment in the same case for which Floyd 
Alien was being tried. 

That after the adjournment of court Wednesday eve¬ 
ning, March thirteenth, he went home and Floyd Allen ac¬ 
companied him. 

That the roads were muddy and in bad condition gen¬ 
erally, as it had been raining and, as Floyd Allen’s home 
was over seven miles beyond his place, across the Blue 
Ridge Mountains, Floyd spent the night with him. 

That he and Floyd spent the evening in Sidna’s kitchen 
after supper before retiring at about half past nine or ten 
o’clock. 

That he had no recollection of discussing, or hearing 
discussed during all that time, anything regarding the 
trial of Floyd Allen. 

That he and Floyd over-slept themselves the next mom- 


The Hillsville Tragedy 109 

ing and were late in starting for Hillsville, reaching the 
town at about eight o’clock. 

That after hitching their horses in the hitching lot Floyd 
went directly to the court house ahead of him, and when 
he entered the court room Floyd was sitting in the bar with 
Judge Bolen and Walter Tipton, his attorneys. 

That he entered the room by the northwest door and 
passed close by the stove to a point about seven or eight 
feet from the judge’s private room, which is situated in 
the northeast corner, and that Claud Allen was in the 
same vicinity near the judge’s door, about three or four 
feet distant from where he, Sidna Allen, stood, and that 
neither of them stood on a bench. 

That he entered into a conversation with a Mr. Moore 
about some work he wished Moore to do for him when 
the weather opened up in the spring. 

That after the jury returned to the court room and ren¬ 
dered their verdict in the case against Floyd Allen, he 
saw Judge Bolen beckon to Claud Allen to come where 
he and Floyd were sitting. 

That Claud passed him and went into the bar where 
he began a conversation with Judge Bolen and Floyd, 
which lasted for a very short ti me. That Claud Allen then 
left Judge Bolen and Floyd and passed by him, but that 
he did not notice where Claud went. 

That he heard Judge Massie say to the sheriff, “Take 
charge of the prisoner, ” and saw the Sheriff advance a 
step or two, when Floyd Allen arose and began fumbling 
at his sweater. 

That he then heard a pistol shot ring out, but that he 
did not know from whence the shot was fired, but the firing 


110 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


of the shot caused him to look at Sheriff Webb and Dexter 
Goad, and he saw that they had their pistols leveled at 
Floyd. 

That after Webb and Goad had fired several shots each 
at Floyd, he turned his gaze to where Floyd had been stand¬ 
ing, but could not see him. 

That he then looked again at where the court officers 
stood but did not see anything of Sheriff Webb, but that 
Goad had moved from where he was standing south and 
west to a point in the direction of the stove. 

That Goad fired at him, Sidna, once, and that he then 
drew his revolver, a 38 Smith and Wesson, from his left 
hip pocket, being left-handed, and returned Goad’s fire, 
shooting at Goad five times, the whole distance across 
the bar. 

That after he had fired the five shots, he dropped down 
on his left knee, ejected the shells from his revolver and re¬ 
loaded it. 

That the firing had then ceased and he started to leave 
the court room by the northwest door, and as he was going 
out someone fired at him, who he thought was Deputy 
Sheriff Gillespie and that he turned and fired one shot* 
at Gillespie. 

That he then went down stairs to the court, house green, 
where he saw Floyd Allen. 

That as he neared the south steps of the court house but 
had not quite reached them, he heard firing, and looking 
toward the court house steps saw Dexter Goad on the 
steps shooting at him. That he returned Goad’s fire, 
shooting twice at him, and the firing ceased, and he 
stopped shooting. 


The Hillsville Tragedy 111 

That the only shots he fired, either while in the court 
room or on the green, were aimed at Dexter Goad, with 
the exception of the one shot he fired at Gillespie. 

That while he was on the court house green, Goad shot 
him in the left arm; and that the bullet penetrated the 
arm and lodged in his back, and that he still carried the 
bullet. 

He denied making any exclamation about any person 
passing on the court house green and stated that he shot 
at no one while there except Dexter Goad. 

That he then proceeded to Blankenship’s stable, where 
the horses were tied, and met Floyd, Claud and Victor 
Allen and Wesley Edwards. That Floyd Allen mounted 
his horse but was taken sick and had to be lifted out of 
the saddle, and that he and the others then took their de¬ 
parture with the exception of Victor Allen, who remained 
with Floyd. 

That Claud Allen, Sidna Edwards and he rode away to¬ 
gether through private property for about a mile and a 
half until they came to the Fancy Gap road, and reached 
home some time before noon. 

That he remained at home with his family until about 
ten o’clock that night, being informed in the meanwhile 
that detectives had been sent for and had orders to shoot 
him on sight. He then went into the mountains near 
the home of his brother Jasper, where he met Wesley 
Edwards and Friel Allen, and that they went to the house 
of a friend about two miles distant where they remained 
until the next night. 

They then went into the mountains, hiding sometimes 


1J2 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


in the timber, sometimes on the face of the mountain and 
sometimes in gullies. 

That he and his companions saw the detectives fre¬ 
quently and at one time they were within fifteen feet of 
him. 

That he and Wesley Edwards remained in the moun¬ 
tains over a month, and that provisions were furnished 
them by friends, who also gave them information regard¬ 
ing the movements of the detectives and told them of the 
arrest of Claud Allen, Sidna Edwards and Friel Allen. 

That he and Wesley Edwards had no intention of leav¬ 
ing Virginia, but wanted to stay out of the way of the offi¬ 
cers until the public learned how the trouble occurred, 
when they intended to surrender and stand trial, but after 
bloodhounds were put on their trail they concluded to 
leave the mountains if possible and remain away for 
a while. 

Accordingly, they left the mountains, and boarded a 
freight train near Winston-Salem, riding on the bumpers 
of a car to Barbour Junction, from whence they walked 
to Salisbury, North Carolina, proceeding from there to 
Asheville by passenger train, thence to Knoxville and St. 
Louis to Des Moines, Iowa. 

On arriving in Des Moines Sidna Allen assumed the 
name of Tom Sayers and Wesley Edwards that of Joe 
Jackson. 

That he worked at the carpenter’s trade, receiving very 
good wages until the time of the capture, September 14th. 

The first trial was that of Floyd Allen and a verdict 
was brought in against him of guilty of murder in the 


The Hillsville Tragedy 113 

first degree May 16th, and on May 20th the trial of his 
son, Claud, was begun. 

The same evidence was taken as in the case of Floyd 
Allen, and on June first the jury returned a verdict of 
guilty of murder in the second degree, with a penalty of 
fifteen years in the penitentiary. 

When the verdict was announced in this trial of Claud 
Allen, there was considerable approval manifested by 
spectators, particularly by ladies attending the trial. 
Judge Staples promptly ordered the demonstration to 
cease, and directed the sheriff to bring any one before him 
guilty of a repetition and that he would punish the person 
severely. When the verdict was brought in at the con¬ 
clusion of the later trial of Sidna Allen, a similar demon¬ 
stration occurred and it received a like reprimand from 
the Judge. 

On July 3d Claud Allen was placed on trial for the 
murder of Commonwealth’s Attorney Foster, but a hung 
jury was the result, July 13th. 

On the 18th of July another jury had been secured 
from Washington county, and on the 29th of that month 
they returned a verdict of guilty of murder in the first 
degree. 

Claud Allen broke down and wept bitterly and his fian¬ 
cee, Miss Wissler, who had been with him throughout the 
trial, also showed great distress. 

On September 12th Floyd Allen and Claud Allen were 
sentenced to die in the electric chair on November 22d, 
and were sent to Richmond under prison guards. 

On August 14th Friel Allen and Sidna Edwards plead 
guilty to murder in the second degree, and Friel Allen was 


114 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


sentenced to fifteen years in the penitentiary, while Sidna 
Edwards received a sentence of eighteen years. 

On September 4th, Victor Allen was tried for conspiracy 
in the Hillsville shooting, and some evidence was adduced 
showing he had a pistol in his hand in the court room dur¬ 
ing the shooting. 

However, his previous good character, coupled with the 
fact that he said to Doctor Nuckols, on the day the trag¬ 
edy occurred, in reply to Doctor Nuckols’ remark: “This 
is terrible, Victor,” “Yes, it’s awful, doctor, but I had 
nothing to do with it and tried to keep the others out of 
it,” is presumed to have made a favorable impression 
upon the jury, which brought in a verdict of ‘‘not guilty” 
on September 13th. 

(There may be some misunderstanding as to how sever¬ 
al men were tried and convicted in these cases for the mur¬ 
der of the same person. The law bearing on the ques¬ 
tion is that where one or more persons conspire to kill 
another, that any one of them, although only present, or 
aiding or abetting, or even though absent, is equally guilty 
with the one or ones who do the actual deed. Or, in 
other words, “The act of one is the act of all. ”) 

Following is the text of Judge Staples’ charge to the 
jury at the opening of court, May 17th, during the trial 
of Floyd Allen. 

“Such is the magnitude of this case and the importance 
of your duties that I feel that I muse send you back to 
your jury room with a few words of caution and advice. 

“When a number of men are thrown into an intimate 
isolation for a long period of time with all their thought 
and attention centered upon one matter, there is a nat- 


115 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


ural tendency to take different views and positions in 
discussing the matter which they are called upon to de¬ 
cide. This is not only natural, but it is desirable, if there 
is to be that frank interchange of ideas necessary to an 
intelligent co-operation and a satisfactory concurrence, 
but along with this tendency there is another tendency 
of the human mind, which is to fix deep-rooted in your 
own minds unwarranted opinion in your earnest effort to 
convince others—a tendency which if yielded to will de¬ 
stroy the very end you have in view. 

“It is not your power of persuasion, the clearness of 
your views or the justice of your individual conclusions, 
or the firmness of your mind and will which you are here 
sworn to try and determine, but the issue of this case, 
which is guilt or innocence of the accused, and if you lose 
sight of that issue in any pride of opinion you have done 
wrong to yourself, an unintended violence to your sol¬ 
emn obligation and grave injustice either to the common¬ 
wealth or the accused. When you were selected and 
sworn to try this case the law, which stands indifferent be¬ 
tween the parties, reposed in you the confidence that you 
would hear without prejudice the evidence, the instruc¬ 
tions and the arguments in this case, that you would de¬ 
liberate fairly and frankly with your associates and in 
all honesty, earnestly endeavor to reach a verdict con¬ 
sistent with your just convictions. If you clothe your¬ 
selves with fixed and settled opinions, if your mind is 
not open to fair and frank consideration of the honest 
views of your associates, if you are not willing to give 
their views the same consideration which you ask or ex¬ 
pect them to give to yours, then you are mistaking ob- 


116 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


stinacy for conscientious conviction and the confidence 
which was imposed in you has been misplaced and vi¬ 
olated; you have fallen short of the measure of a broad 
and honest manhood and at your door lies a sad mis¬ 
carriage of justice, either to the commonwealth or the 
accused. 

“Iam not ready to believe that any of you are men who 
can deserve such condemnation—it is easy to understand 
that the strain of your continued isolation may have led 
you to hasty conclusions taking to your minds the appear¬ 
ance of honest convictions. I should not and would not 
express or intimate any opinion as to the proper verdict 
in this case; that is left to you and you alone, but it is 
left to your patient, honest and frank consideration to 
the end that you may all of you come to a just and proper 
conclusion, not to an issue between yourselves of firmness 
or obstinacy. 

“Now, gentlemen, I expect you to return to your jury 
room; begin anew among yourselves the discussion of 
this case; let your foreman act as the chairman over your 
deliberations; let one man talk at a time in due order un¬ 
til all have been heard and let him have the earnest, pa¬ 
tient attention of the rest; let him speak with moderation 
and with frankness, seeking to discover the truth rather 
than to impress his opinion; when he has finished let each 
of you in turn question him with courtesy and honesty as 
to what has not been made clear or suggest to him where 
you approve and can sustain him—if you have difficulties 
upon any point make them known to your associates and 
ask their friendly help to overcome them; if you differ one 


The HillsviJle Tragedy 117 

with another let it be in a manner friendly and frank, not 
marked with temper or irritation. 

“In other words, meet one another as broad-minded, 
honest gentlemen, seeking to help one another to a proper 
verdict and from such deliberations a just conclusion must 
surely result. 

“Let each of you diligently search his mind and con¬ 
science to see if he may not perchance be wrong and if 
you find that it is so, have the manhood and the courage 
to admit it. ” 

On September eleventh, Judge Staples had Floyd Allen 
and Claud Allen brought into court and sentenced them, 
fixing the twenty-second of November as the time for 
their execution. The prisoners showed no emotion dur¬ 
ing the sentence. 

Floyd said he “did not mean to defy the law and hadn't 
anything against them over there except Dexter Goad," 
and added he was going to take his sentence “as best 
he could. ” 

The following are the remarks of Judge Staples in pro¬ 
nouncing sentence: 

“Each of you has by a grand jury of your county been 
charged with the murder of four men and one woman as 
the result of one plan and purpose for the murder of one 
of those men. You have been separately tried and con¬ 
victed. 

“A court of justice, sitting for the enforcement of law 
and protection of society, has been in one brief moment 
almost destroyed. That this was done by you and your 
associates has not been and could not have been denied. 

“The judge, a man pure in character and steadfast in 


118 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


purpose, incapable of wrong toward any man, was shot 
three times, where he sat helpless and undefended. The 
attorney for the commonwealth, fearless in his vigorous 
prosecution of one of you, was shot five times. The sher¬ 
iff, in the act of taking you, Floyd Allen, into custody, was 
shot six times, where he stood when your defiance of the 
law was uttered. The juror was shot as he sat in his seat. 
These four and a woman were the persons killed. 

“A second juror was shot as he retreated and the clerk 
was shot very.near to his desk. It was all done in less 
than a moment of time; done by you and your associ¬ 
ates; done with a quickness and an accuracy of aim and 
action impossible to men acting under impulse or sur¬ 
prise. Yet the law, which has suffered so great an out¬ 
rage, has, out of regard for her own inherent principles 
of right and justice, accorded each of you a patient and un¬ 
biased hearing, has extended to you every protection, 
has made available to you every safeguard, has yielded to 
you upon every point of doubt or possible mistake, has 
submitted the question of your guilt separately to juries 
of your fellow citizens who have heard with patience every 
statement and contention offered in excuse. 

“The whole power of the commonwealth has been 
placed at your disposal to compel the attendance of each 
and every witness who might speak to any fact favorable 
to your defense. 

“Your array of counsel, with ability excelled only by 
their untiring zeal and fidelity, have presented with force 
and eloquence, every fact or inference which might favor 
your vindication and with the result that as to each of 
you, twelve patient, honest, conscientious gentlemen have 


119 


The Hillsville Tragedy 

unanimously concurred in the conclusion that there is no 
reasonable doubt as to any fact necessary to establish 
your guilt and that the acts whereby these honored and 
faithful officers of the law were destroyed in the discharge 
of their duty were of your plan, your purpose and your 
deliberate accomplishment. The evidence overwhelm¬ 
ingly sustains these verdicts. 

“You, Floyd Allen, were in the custody of the law 
when, ordered to jail, you uttered your defiance of its 
authority, such a defiance as was never before heard in 
a Virginia court, such a defiance as must have stunned 
into inaction, every mind not prepared to anticipate it. 
Yet, without the least surprise or hesitation, your associ¬ 
ates instantly began with you, this deadly work; began 
it with a promptness and pursued it with a persistency and 
effectiveness which, to every calm, unbiased mind, carries 
the unalterable conviction of anticipation and co-oper¬ 
ation. Numerous other facts, clearly proven, confirm 
this conviction, but the elements of instantaneous and 
fatally effective co-operation, standing alone and of them¬ 
selves, eliminate all reasonable doubt of a common under¬ 
standing, of a mutual and felonious purpose. 

“The facts relied upon for the excuse or mitigation of 
your conduct, have failed utterly of their proof. You 
have contended that the clerk of that court, while you 
were in its custody, endeavored to open fire on you. You 
failed to show any motive for such conduct on his part or 
to give any explanation why he should have done an act 
so utterly inexplicable and so necessarily fatal to himself. 
There is scarcely a scintilla of evidence to confirm the 
statement made by each of you. Yet, every rule of law 


120 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


which would have been applicable, if your statement had 
been fully corroborated, was invoked and allowed for 
your benefit. Upon every doubtful question of law, you 
have each of you been favored; yet, the result is your 
conviction. 

“It is by no choice, no will, no act of the jury or the 
court that this judgment has entered against you. The 
consequence of such conduct was by the law written long 
before that day of fatal action. That consequence was 
certain and inevitable to you unless a jury should have 
failed to ascertain the facts as they actually occurred. As 
your conduct was of your choice, so the consequence is 
of your own creation, and it is in reality your own hand 
which writes the judgment of this court. I am not saying 
these things to reproach or distress you. This hour is 
too solemn for you and me to permit any impulse of feel¬ 
ing to be entertained toward you except of the deepest 
sympathy. I want you each, to realize that no man has 
by his will or choice selected your punishment; that no 
man has done you wrong or dealt with you otherwise 
than as the law, to which all of us must yield unquestion¬ 
ing obedience, has demanded; that the judgment of this 
court is no man’s judgment; but is the judgment of the 
law and that I am but the mouthpiece of the law when I 
speak to you these solemn words. 

“It is the judgment of the court that each of you be re¬ 
manded to the custody of the sheriff of Wythe county, 
there to be detained until the superintendent of the peni¬ 
tentiary of this state shall come or send for you, when you 
will be taken to that prison and there, on the twenty- 
second day of November, 1912, within the hours, in the 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


121 


manner and with the means prescribed by law, you shall 
each of you be put to death. And through your own sin¬ 
cere repentance and the mediation of our Saviour, may 
each of you receive mercy unto the measure of a full 
forgiveness. ” 


This completed the trials of the men connected with the 
assassination of the court officers at Hillsville, except the 
trials of Sidna Allen and Wesley Edwards, who had es¬ 
caped from the mountains and were not captured until 
September 14th, 1912, in Des Moines. Sidna Allen was 
first brought to trial on November seventh, for the murder 
of Judge Massie, and the jury after considerable delay 
brought in a verdict of murder in the second degree, fix¬ 
ing the penalty at fifteen years in the penitentiary. 

On December 2d Sidna Allen was placed on trial for 
the murder of Commonwealth’s Attorney Foster, and on 
December eleventh the jury brought in a verdict of 4 ‘vol¬ 
untary manslaughter,” with a sentence of five years in 
the penitentiary. 

Counsel for the commonwealth at once notified the 
court of their readiness to proceed with the case of the 
Commonwealth versus Sidna Allen for the murder of 
Sheriff Webb. The attorneys for the defense then held 
a conference and proposed a compromise which was event¬ 
ually reached, Sidna Allen pleading guilty and receiving a 
sentence of fifteen years more, making in all thirty-five 
years, as he had previously been sentenced to fifteen 
years imprisonment for the murder of Judge Massie. 

The attorneys for Wesley Edwards then proposed a 
compromise of the case against him, which was finally 



122 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


done, and a sentence of twenty-seven years imprisonment 
in the penitentiary given Wesley Edwards. 

This concluded the trials of those indicted for the murder 
of the court officers and members of the jury at Hills¬ 
ville, March 14th. 


Resume op the Incidents Connected 

WITH THE HlLLSYILLE TRAGEDY 

March 14th, 1912, Tragedy at Hillsville occurred in 
which were killed or severely wounded, Judge Thornton 
L. Massie, Commonwealth’s Attorney W. M. Foster, 
Sheriff Lew Webb, Jurors Fowler and Cain, and Rebecca 
Ayers, a witness. Baldwin-Felts detectives arrived in 
Hillsville the evening of the day on which the tragedy 
occurred. 

March 15th: Juror Fowler died on this date. Attorney 
General S. W. Williams, and Judge Waller R. Staples, 
of Roanoke, came to Hillsville, by direction of the gover¬ 
nor. Rewards were offered for capture of the Allens. 
Floyd and Victor Allen and Byrd Marion arrested and 
lodged in Hillsville jail. 

March 16th: Eight members of the Allen clan indicted 
by special grand jury at Hillsville. 

March 17th: Prisoners transferred from Hillsville to 
Roanoke jail. 

March 20th: Civil suits entered against Allens by heirs 
of slain court officers. 

March 22d: Sidna Edwards captured near Lambsburg, 
in Carroll county, by L. C. Felts and W. W. Phaup. 

On same date A. A. Campbell appointed to succeed 
Judge Massie, as Judge of the twenty-first circuit. . 

March 24th: Sidna Edwards taken to Roanoke jail. 


124 The Hillsville Tragedy 

March 27th: Special Grand Jury indicts members of 
the Allen clan. 

March 28th: Claud Allen captured in the mountains 
by detectives H. H. Lucas and E. C. Payne. 

March 29th: Friel Allen captured by T. L. Felts and 
E. C. Payne. 

March 31st: Claud and Friel Allen brought from Hills¬ 
ville to Roanoke jail. 

April 22d: Allen prisoners taken from Roanoke to 
Hillsville for trial. Cases moved to Wytheville and court 
decided prisoners must be tried separately. 

April 30th set as date for court to convene. 

April 24th: Allen prisoners taken to Wytheville. 

April 30th: Floyd Allen placed on trial for the murder 
of Commonwealth’s Attorney W. M. Foster. 

May 1st: Jury empaneled to try Floyd Allen. 

May 2d: Taking evidence in the case begun. 

May 11th: Testimony of witnesses concluded. 

May 13th: Arguments in the case opened. 

May 16th: Jury brought in a verdict against Floyd 
Allen for murder in the first degree. 

May 20th: Trial of Claud Allen for the murder of 
Judge Massie begun. 

June 1st: Jury finds Claud Allen guilty of murder in 
the second degree and fixes the penalty at fifteen years 
in the penitentiary. 

June 3d: Claud Allen placed on trial for the murder 
of Commonwealth’s Attorney Foster. 

June 13th: Jury unable to agree and discharged. 

July 18th: Claud Allen again placed on trial for the 
murder of Foster. 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


125 


July 29th: Jury finds Claud Allen guilty of murder in 
the first degree. 

August 14th: Friel Allen pleads guilty and is given a 
sentence of fifteen years in prison. 

August 17th: Sidna Edwards pleads guilty and re¬ 
ceives a sentence of eighteen years in prison. 

September 12th: Floyd Allen and Claud Allen, father 
and son, sentenced to die in the electric chair November 
22d. 

September 4th: Victor Allen on trial for conspiracy. 

September 13th: Victor Allen acquitted. 

September 14th: Sidna Allen and Wesley Edwards cap¬ 
tured in Des Moines, Iowa. 

September 16th: Prisoners brought to Roanoke and 
placed in jail. 

September 22d: Prisoners taken to Hillsville for arraign¬ 
ment and returned to jail in Roanoke, pending trial at 
Wytheville, case being set for November 7th. 

November 6th: Prisoners taken to Wytheville and 
placed in jail. 

November 7th: Trial of Sidna Allen for the murder of 
Judge Massie begun. First jury from Giles county dis¬ 
qualified itself by discussing the case, and was discharged. 

November 11th: New jury empaneled from venire from 
Grayson county and trial proceeded with. 

November 18th: Sidna Allen took the stand in his own 
behalf and testified. 

November 21st: Arguments opened in Sidna Allen 
case. 

November 22d: Jury returns a verdict against Sidna 
Allen for murder in the second degree with a penalty of 


126 


The Hillsville Tragedy 


fifteen years in prison. Case against Sidna Allen for mur¬ 
der of W. M. Foster set for December 2d and prisoners re¬ 
turned to Roanoke jail. 

December 1st: Sidna Allen and Wesley Edwards again 
taken from Roanoke to Wytheville. 

Dec. 2d: Trial of Sidna Allen for murder of W. M. 
Foster begun. 

December 9th: Argument by counsel begins. 

December 10th: Case given to the jury. 

December 11th: Jury returns verdict of voluntary man¬ 
slaughter and fixed the penalty at five years in prison. 

On the same day Sidna Allen plead guilty in two other 
cases for which he was indicted, for which he received a 
sentence of fifteen more years, making in all a term of 
thirty-five years imprisonment in the penitentiary. 

November 13th: Wesley Edwards plead guilty in three 
cases of murder in the second degree, receiving a sentence 
of twenty-seven years in the penitentiary. Sidna Allen 
and Wesley Edwards were returned to Roanoke jail the 
same day. 

November 14th: Sidna Allen and Wesley Edwards taken 
to the penitentiary at Richmond in charge of state prison 
guards. This date was exactly eight months from the 
day on which the Hillsville tragedy occurred. 

Governor Mann granted a stay of execution to December 
13th and from that date to January 17th, 1913. 

On January 16th Governor Mann granted Floyd and 
Claud Allen a further respite until March 7th, 1913. 
































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